Patient's question:
My little child has been with me for a month and a few days now. But when I put my hand in front of his eyes, he doesn't even blink. Also, his eyes are not very sensitive to ordinary light; they only close when he sees sunlight. Because he was born 40 days early, and I don't understand whether this is normal or if it could be retinopathy of prematurity?Doctor's answer:
Newborns already have visual sensory functions, with pupillary light reflex, and a few may exhibit nystagmus. Due to the underdeveloped accommodation function of the lens and the feedback system of extraocular muscles, newborns can see clearly at a distance of 15-20 cm, and may have brief staring ability in a calm state.After the newborn period, visual perception develops rapidly. At one month, the baby can stare at light sources, and the head can follow horizontally moving objects to the midline, beginning to develop head-eye coordination. By 3-4 months, the baby enjoys looking at their own hands, with good head-eye coordination, able to follow objects horizontally by 180°.
Your child is premature and is only 2 months old now, so it is difficult to make a judgment at this stage. However, based on your description, there should be no problems—just that their coordination skills are not yet well developed.