Infant Eye Exams – 0-12 Milestones

Did you know infant eye exams start at 6 months of age? So why start so early? Our Optometrists want to ensure your babies’ eyes are seeing well, their eyes are working well together, and that their eyes are healthy. Alberta Health covers eye exams for children between the ages of 0-18 years.

Milestones to watch for between both and 12 months include:

Birth – Infants have poor eyesight. Eyes can be uncoordinated and appear cross-eyed. Able to stare at objects 8-10 inches away.

1 month – Look at black & white images & pictures. Tears start to work. Watch parents closely.

2-3 months – Begin to be able to see an object as one image. Look at hands & follow moving targets such as light, faces, and objects.

4-5 months – Begin reaching for objects. Will look at themselves in a mirror and watch their hands.

6-8 months – Better control of eye movements and eyes are coordinated. If eye crossing is present, book them in to see our Optometrist. Eye-body coordination skills continue to improve. Depth perception begins to develop and they have a full-color vision.

Most babies start crawling which helps further develop eye-hand-foot-body coordination

9-11 months – Begin to pull themselves up to a standing position, grasping objects with thumb and forefinger, can stare at small objects, & plays peek-a-boo.

12 months – Most babies will be crawling and trying to walk. Parents should encourage crawling rather than early walking to help the child develop better eye-hand coordination. Babies can now judge distances fairly well, throw things with precision & watch fast-moving objects.

By sharing these milestones, we encourage you to monitor your child to see how they are developing. If you are noticing any concerns, feel free to reach out to our Optometrists.