Vision begins to develop long before birth and continues through the first birthday. Expectant mothers should have regular prenatal checkups and eat a diet that supports healthy visual development in your child.

Babies’ eyes are routinely checked when they are born and at their pediatrician visits during the first year.  Dr. Wolf participates in the InfantSEE® program that recommends your baby’s first visit for a comprehensive eye assessment should be scheduled between six months and one year of age. The InfantSEE® assessment is recommended in addition to the regular pediatrician check ups.  Dr. Wolf will test for visual acuity, excessive or unequal amounts of nearsightedness, farsightedness, or astigmatism, evaluate eye alignment, and examine eye teaming ability.  The health of your baby’s eyes will be assessed as well. Although problems are not common, it is important to identify children who have specific risk factors at this stage. Vision development and eye health problems can be more easily corrected if treatment is begun early.

Movement is what babies see first; they can see facial expression within a week. Color vision and depth perception continue to develop over the first year.

The eye muscles develop differentially, too, and one or the other can turn slightly in or out. This is called strabismus. Usually, the eye muscles continue to strengthen and normalize in a few months. If the effect continues beyond four months or if such effects are more pronounced or one eye doesn’t move much, contact our office to schedule an appointment with Dr. Wolf.

If your baby has had their InfantSEE® exam, we recommend a comprehensive exam between ages three and four.  Once your child begins school Dr. Wolf recommends annual vision examinations to insure their eyes are ready for the challenges of learning.  Careful attention to your baby’s eyes from pregnancy onward will help to make sure your child has the best possible start in life.

It’s the season for spring training and all kinds of other activities, too.

Did you know that more than 600,000 sports-related eye injuries occur every year? Of those, 40,000 require emergency room care.

Fishing injuries top the list, followed by little league baseball, racket sports, football, and soccer. One in fifty little leaguers will require attention for an eye injury. Football teams average four eye injuries every season. More than half of eye injuries from soccer occur in children aged six to fourteen. Racket sports are the major culprit for eye injuries in women.

The good news, though, is that 90% of injuries can be prevented by wearing sport-appropriate eye protection. So, lower your odds of injury now by investing in eye protection for sports.

Quite simply, diplopia is seeing double. Fatigue or overuses of alcohol are common temporary causes.

If double vision persists, though, it could be an indication of a serious problem. A sudden instance of double vision that goes away is not necessarily a good thing, either. Double vision or ghost images can signal a variety of brain issues, nerve palsies, and other conditions.

Give us a call if you have concerns.