How Do You Know If Your Baby Needs Glasses?

Are you worried about your baby being able to see correctly and if your little ones’ vision is developing as it should? As a first time mom, I did some online research to understand the facts about my baby’s vision.

Beforehand, I knew the basics, like infants first see things up close, and then start developing their vision slowly, to reach complete vision by 6 months of age.

I also bought a lot of toys to help develop my baby girl’s vision, like brightly colored toys that I could shake and move in front of her. One day she started looking at different objects and people with a cross-eye, it got me worried, and immediately called my baby’s pediatrician. 

What the doctor said about my baby’s eyes not being aligned

The pediatrician carefully examined my baby daughter’s vision during our last visit and told me that everything was absolutely normal! 

He shared that normally infants are able to lock their eyes on anything you show them some time after birth. By 3 months of age, they are able to follow a moving object. It is easy for parents to know if their baby has reached these milestones by using colored objects and testing their baby. 

When your baby is 6 months old, the age we all absolutely love, he or she can see well, focus his or her eyes and see colors. 

But how can you detect any vision trouble in your baby? Read on to know what is normal and what can be an alert to figuring out more and early. 

So how to be on the lookout for vision problems in your baby?

Baby vision check

First of all, there are a few basic pieces of information that all new parents should know about their baby’s eyesight:

  1. In general, most babies do not need glasses and develop their vision normally.
  2. During their first year, your baby’s vision, along with their overall health, is frequently checked by their pediatricians during their monthly visits. Definitely bring up the topic, as your doctor would raise a red flag if any problem was detected.
  3. You can watch for signs that vision is not developing properly. We will talk about those below.

How do I know if my baby needs glasses? 

Here are some common signs that your baby’s vision is not developing properly and that he or she may need glasses:

  1. If your baby is 4 months old and is still not following objects once you move them in front of them, talk to your pediatrician.
  2. Babies tend to rub their eyes when they’re tired. But when they do it a lot, it may be a sign they need glasses. Get them checked so you can put your mind at ease.
  3. A possible sign could be that your baby is holding his or her toys or other objects very close to their face. This could mean they’re trying to see it better.
  4. Baby’s eyes often go cross-eyed as they adjust to life outside the womb. But if they are cross-eyed a lot, this could be an alert for vision problems or lack of eye coordination so watch out for that too.

FAQs – Frequent Baby Vision & Eyesight Questions You Might Have

In relation to your baby’s vision and eyesight, here are a few questions parents ask themselves frequently. 

How do you test a baby’s vision at home?

Before your child can speak, it is challenging to know what they are seeing or feeling. Here are 2 things to look out for at home: 

  • They are able to track objects side to side as early as 2 months old.
  • If you see something white in your baby’s pupil, it could be a sign a vision problem is developing.

When should my child see an eye doctor?

To keep your mind at ease and prevent eye problems when they grow up, it is best to start getting your child tested for vision problems as early as 1 year of age. 

  1. For your child to always be comfortable when learning and playing, it is best to get their eyes tested just before they start school. An ophthalmologist will be able to rule out any vision problem as early as possible. 
  2. Always think about your family history. Does any parent or sibling face vision or eye problems? If the answer to this is yes, then stay on the safe side and take your baby for an eye exam.
  3. Always trust your gut. If you feel something is not right, it’s always worth getting it checked. A parent’s gut feeling should never be ignored, am I right? 

How can I improve my child’s eyesight?

When you notice something going on with your baby’s vision and realizing the fact that they may need glasses, there are solutions you can follow at home to improve the situation:

  1. Up your food game. There are special foods you can prepare to help your child’s eyesight get better. Foods that contain omega-3, iron, Vitamin A, and beta carotene are amazingly healthy and yummy! Think salmon, eggs, leafy greens such as spinach and so much more!
  2. Encourage outdoor play and physical exercise, as a sedentary life watching screens will surely not help their vision.

Can eyesight suddenly improve?

Eye exercises, called vision therapy, can help tremendously. It can go from correcting vision problems, to enhancing and improving vision.

Conclusion

It is a very common question to ask if your baby needs glasses. Since our little ones cannot communicate well yet, I summarized a few tips on how to know if your baby needs glasses and what to do to improve their vision and examine it at home.

With the help of healthcare professionals as well as by tending to your little ones, you should notice their needs and have a peaceful mind.

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Lynn is a 30-something writer for 1happykiddo and mom of a 4 year-old little girl. When she’s not busy taking care of her daughter or writing, she likes to relax with a book, meditate and connect with loved ones. Oh, and cooking good food too!

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