Your child's eyes and brain work together in order to provide her with sight. Beginning at birth, her ability to move her eyes back and forth will start to develop. However, you may notice abnormal eye movements during her childhood that can indicate a problem with her vision.
Normal Movement
At birth, your child is not able to focus or track objects. You may notice that he appears to be cross-eyed or has trouble watching moving objects. Over the next few months of her life, his eyes will begin to develop. Around 4 to 7 months of age, he should be able to purposely move his eyes back and forth while tracking an object.
Nystagmus
Nystagmus is characterized by repetitive and uncontrolled eye movements in any direction. Congenital nystagmus, which develops between 2 to 3 months of age, can be caused by undeveloped optic nerves or congenital cataracts. Spasmus nutans nystagmus can develop between 6 months and 3 years of age and typically resolves itself later in childhood, according to the American Optometric Association. This type of abnormal eye movement is diagnosed through an eye exam. There is no treatment for nystagmus, but the condition can improve over time. The eye problems that can result from nystagmus, such as nearsightedness or farsightedness, can be treated.
Amblyopia
Amblyopia is also known as a lazy eye and occurs when one eye does not develop properly, causing it to make drifting movements that are not in line with the other eye. Early detection for amblyopia is important to help improve vision later in life. All About Vision states that it will not go away on its own but can be corrected through the use of glasses, contacts, eye drops or patches.
Retinoblastoma
Retinoblastoma, eye cancer in the retina, is very rare. Symptoms include eyes that move in different directions, redness and swelling. MayoClinic.com states that retinoblastoma is diagnosed with an eye exam and imaging tests. Treatment options include chemotherapy, radiation, laser therapy and surgery.
Recommendations
Be sure that your child has regular eye exams. Her doctor may check her eyes during normal visits and refer her to an eye specialist if there is a problem. If you notice that your child has poor tracking skills or experiences involuntary eye movements, be sure to mention it to her doctor. It may be the result of an eye problem that needs to be detected early in life.
