Infants can benefit from an eye exam

Although it may be in the back of new parents' minds, the eyesight of their infant can be one of the most important areas of their growth. According to Carolina Weekly, babies eyes need to develop much like their ability to walk and talk, and there are several steps parents can take to ensure they develop correctly.

One of the easiest ways to stimulate a newborn's eyesight is to fine tune their eye-hand coordination. This can be done by placing reach-and-touch toys withing 8-to-12 inches of an infant's face as well as moving their crib frequently.

The news source also points out several symptoms that could be indicative of potential vision problems. If a child's eyes are prone to excessive tearing, for instance, that could be a sign of a blocked tear duct. A constant eye turn can be problematic as well, as that could be a sign of poor eye muscle control.

Many visual impairments can be detected early with a comprehnsive eye exam and the American Optometric Association (AOA) recommends that children get their first exam between the ages of 6 to 12 months. The AOA reports that as many as 1 in 10 children suffer from an undiagnosed vision problem.