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First born infants are highly sensitive to light but will not have the ability to focus on or indeed have any kind of colour perception. Their vision continually develops over the first quarter; the first months progression allows them to focus on something up to a metre away, expanding to focusing across a room within another four weeks. By the fourth month they are seeing colour and a full range of shades.
A childs sight can be screened during routine optician examinations over the first twelve months. It is recommended to have an eye test at 6 months and a full examination pre-school. It is the first few years that any eye problem will be first noticed or detected. Lazy Eyes or near-sightedness can become visible at this stage and the earlier it is detected the better chance of correction. Overall eye health should be screened in any event with a paediatric optician.
Only a third of school students have been examined before starting school and almost a quarter of all school age children have vision issues, most comonly near-sightedness. As our eyes develop as we age, near-sightedness will degenerate until about 20 years of age.
2 to 3 per cent of children will be diagnosed with Amblyopia or "lazy eye." This occurs when the nerve signals between the eye and brain are malfunctioning. The majority of patients will be successfully by patching. Crossed eyes happen when both eyes are not lining up. Patching, special glasses, or surgery may be introduced to treat it.
Eye strain is a common problem as the older we get the more time we spend using devices like computer monitors, smart phone screens, and videogames. Dryness and fatigue are both common symptoms. Eye strain is not permanent but we are advised to reduce the amount of time or at least manage the time we spend using these items. Using desk lighting to reduce glare and taking breaks to spend a few minutes looking at something much farther away than the monitor will assist.
To maintain your eye health and overall vision, wear sunglasses in bright sunlight. If you play sports or work with machinery or chemicals, be sure to always don protective gear both at work and at home.
As we approach middle age it is not unusual to acquire the need for reading glasses. By your mid-40s, you may need help reading and extra assistance for up-close work. This change in our vision is presbyopia, and it's perfectly normal. It can be corrected via lenses, glasses or surgery is an option.
Before we reach 40 yrs our eyes' lenses are very flexible. This helps them focus on objects, be they near or further away. But as we age, that lens begins to lose its flexibility so the ability to see objects close up reduces. You might find yourself holding newspapers or notes further away from you to focus on it and read clearly.
As we age there are diseases like diabetes and high blood pressure that can effect our vision and eye health overall. Diabetes patients may develop retinopathy (damage to blood vessels in the retina). Also high blood pressure can damage our delicate nerves and blood vessels within the eye. It can cause permanent vision loss. Eating healthily, looking after our diets and supplements can assist.
Once we hit our sixties we are at risk of cataracts and glaucoma although both conditions can happen at any age. The natural lens of the eye clouds when cataracts are developed. The lens can be replaced in surgery. Glaucoma is a deterioration of the eye's nerve over time. Increased pressure in the eye needs to be treated with eyedrops or surgery may need to be provided.
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is more common in people over 60. It can cause a partial loss of vision. "Wet" AMD is associated with new, unwanted, leaky blood vessels in the eye. It can be treated with medicine. "Dry" AMD is a slower process and does not have specific treatment. Vision rehabilitation may help a person adjust to life with AMD.
A healthy diet will help maintain your overall eye health. Omega-3 fatty acids and vitamins C and E will aid healthy eyes. Consider citrus fruits like oranges and tangerines, green, leafy vegetables, nuts, and fatty fish. Eating fish and green, leafy vegetables may prevent age-related macular degeneration.