How Does My Vision Change With Age?
We never think about how our eyes change until there’s a problem, but our eyes go through many age-related vision changes from birth through late adulthood. With each stage of life, the needs and warning signs of eye trouble change. Learn how your eyes develop from when you’re a baby to an older adult.
Vision Changes in Newborns and Infants
Every baby’s developmental journey is different. If your baby is not hitting milestones at the suggested ages, try not to panic. It’s very common for babies to be a little ahead of or behind these milestones. That said, let’s explore how newborns and infants see the world.
Birth to 6 Months
When children are born, they can’t see anything in focus or even in color. Babies can only focus on things 8 to 10 inches from their faces. During the first few months of life, an infant’s eyes start to work together to improve vision, and their hand-eye coordination also assists with developing their vision.
Around eight weeks old, babies start to focus on the faces of people around them. When they hit the three-month mark, they can follow objects with their eyes and potentially reach for them.
6 Months to One Year
Between 6 and 8 months, babies’ depth perception develops, and colors enter their vision. As hand-eye coordination improves, their vision gets stronger.
When babies turn six months old, they should have their first eye exam. This wait gives the eyes enough time to develop signs of nearsightedness, farsightedness or astigmatism.
One to Two Years Old
Babies’ vision and hand-eye coordination fully develops between age 12 months and two years.
Normal Eye Changes in Babies
As babies grow and develop, their eyes learn to work in coordination with each other. As this skill emerges, you may notice crossed or wandering eyes. This is entirely normal, because a baby’s brain and eyes are learning to work together. The eyes should straighten out naturally as babies grow and develop their hand-eye coordination.
Concerning Eye Issues in Babies
If a baby’s eyes seem to always turn in or out, a trip to an eye doctor is needed. The occasional wandering or crossed eye is normal, but if these symptoms persist, they may be a sign of amblyopia, also called “lazy eye”. This requires early intervention, like using an eye patch over the stronger eye to strengthen the weaker eye.
Other signs of potential early childhood eye issues include:
- Excessive tearing associated with blocked tear ducts
- Red or crusty eyelids, possibly a sign of an eye infection
- High sensitivity to light, which may indicate elevated pressure in the eye
- White pupils, a possible indicator of eye cancer (which is very rare)
Can Eyes Change Color with Age?
Infants’ eyes can change color as they get older. Some babies are born with blue or gray eyes that change color a few months after birth. There are also plenty of babies whose eyes stay the same color.
Do Eyes Grow?
Yes, eyeballs grow throughout childhood; they usually reach full size in our early 20s. Eyeballs also grow heavier as we age.
Vision Changes in Toddlers and Children
Age-related vision changes in toddlers and children involve improvement in the ability to focus, judge distance and understand depth perception. Their hand-eye coordination also continues to improve.
Common eye problems often start to appear at this stage. Around 600,000 children had vision problems in 2021—but many don’t realize their experience is abnormal. It’s up to the adults in their lives to recognize potential signs of eye issues. Scheduling eye exams each school year ensures problems are caught and treated early—leading to better eye health outcomes.
Signs of Common Vision Problems in Toddlers and Children
Normal eye problems like near- and far-sightedness can develop in young children, and kids may not think to say anything about their symptoms. Common signs of vision problems in toddlers and children are:
- Rubbing eyes frequently
- Blinking constantly
- Feeling eye discomfort or tiredness
- Having a short attention span
- Avoiding reading, coloring and other close-up activities
- Developing headaches
- Tilting their head
- Covering one eye
- Holding things close to their face
- Seeing double
- Sitting too close to a TV or laptop
If your child has some of these symptoms, it’s essential to have both a primary care doctor and an eye doctor evaluate your child, because many different health conditions share symptoms.
Amblyopia (Lazy Eye)
While having a lazy eye as a baby is okay, if it persists in early childhood, it’s time to make an appointment with an optometrist. Lazy eyes have little to no vision and can’t be fixed with glasses; the condition may need to be taken care of through surgery. If amblyopia is not treated, vision can be permanently lost in that eye.
Color Blindness
While not as concerning as other conditions on this list, color blindness usually appears in children between age three and five. Not being able to see certain shades of color can affect a child’s learning ability.
Glaucoma
Glaucoma causes higher pressure within the eye and damage to the optic nerve, eventually leading to blindness.
Vision Changes in Teenagers
The teenage years are full of bodily changes—including age-related vision changes. During this time, the eyeballs grow and lengthen, which can lead to blurred vision and nearsightedness, either temporary or permanent.
Hormones can affect a teen’s eyesight as well. Fluctuations in estrogen and testosterone can cause dry eyes. Estrogen also helps maintain the outside surface of the eyes—and changes in estrogen levels can cause blurry vision. Testosterone can affect the cornea’s thickness, which can cause vision impairment.
During this time of constant change, it’s crucial to have regular eye exams.
Normal Eye Changes for Teens
Like with children, most teen eye problems involve being near- or farsighted. Typical signs of eye problems in teens are:
- Frequent eye rubbing
- Constant blinking
- Eye discomfort or tiredness
- Short attention span
- Constant squinting
- Headaches
- Holding things close to their face
- Seeing double
Some of these symptoms can also be due to digital eye strain, common among teenagers due to their frequent use of smartphone, laptop, tablet and TV screens. Luckily, simply taking breaks to rest the eyes usually helps alleviate these symptoms.
Astigmatism—a condition in which the cornea is an abnormal shape—can also appear during the teenage years. It can affect both near and far vision.
Finally, teenagers are more likely to develop styes—painful bumps inside or outside the eyelid—because of oily skin and hormone changes.
Concerning Eye Changes in Teens
As with childhood, the appearance of problems like amblyopia, cataracts and glaucoma can occur during adolescence. Teens can also experience other conditions:
Sun Damage
If teens spend a lot of time outside, their eyes are vulnerable to sun damage. If they don’t wear good-quality sunglasses when outdoors, their eyes can get sunburned. UV rays from the sun can reach the retina, causing permanent vision problems if not addressed.
Eye Injuries
Eye injuries often occur in children and teens due to sports or other physical activities. These can include blows to the eye or falling.
Vision Changes in Young Adulthood (20s and 30s)
There aren’t any major age-related vision changes in young adulthood. The exception is that if a person has near- or far-sightedness, it could worsen, requiring a stronger prescription.
The exception to this is during pregnancy due to changes in hormone levels. Like with teenagers, changes in estrogen can cause dry eye and blurry vision.
Luckily, most vision changes disappear once hormones return to their typical levels post-pregnancy.
Common Eye Changes in Young Adults
In addition to changes in vision quality, conditions like digital eye strain can manifest at this age.
There’s also presbyopia, which causes people to struggle to read small text despite 20/20 vision because their eyes’ lenses lose flexibility. This condition usually occurs around age 40 but can appear as early as age 35.
Concerning Eye Problems for Young Adults
Cataracts and glaucoma can occur during this period, and it’s best to schedule regular eye exams to screen for them. Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) can also cause vision loss.
When Do Your Eyes Stop Growing?
Your eyes stop growing in size and weight in your early 20s.
Vision Changes in Adulthood (40s and 50s)
There shouldn’t be any significant age-related vision changes in the 40s and 50s. You may see subtle changes like needing more light to see or having to hold objects closer. This is because presbyopia makes it difficult for the eyes to focus. Perimenopause or menopause may contribute to visual changes due to shifting hormone levels.
Eye Changes for Adults
It’s common for those at risk of diabetes or high blood pressure to notice more obvious changes in eyesight during this age period. This life phase is also when those with a family history of glaucoma or macular degeneration may start to show signs of the condition.
People may also experience dry eyes more often, because tear production begins to slow down in older adults.
Concerning Signs of Vision Changes for Adults
There are a few signs of worrying eye problems during mid-life. The first is floaters or flashes. The occasional floater isn’t a bad thing, but beginning to see more floaters, along with flashes of light, warrants a visit to the eye doctor right away. Floaters can be a sign of potential permanent vision loss due to a tear in the retina or even a complete retinal detachment.
Another worrisome sign older experience is the loss of peripheral vision—potentially a sign of glaucoma.
Finally, if images don’t look right, such as straight lines having a wavy appearance, that can be a sign of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). This disease affects the macula, which is responsible for central vision. If untreated, AMD can cause a blind spot in your vision.
Vision Changes in Later Adulthood (60+)
Vision may change a lot in late adulthood due to various eye conditions, either those that are already developing or newly appearing conditions. Many older adults struggle with dry eyes due to slow tear production. Seniors can also experience decreased vision due to presbyopia, which makes it hard to focus on small objects.
Eye Changes in People 60 or Older
The most common vision changes that happen in late adulthood are:
- Age-related macular degeneration (AMD): Affects your central vision; may cause problems with driving, reading and recognizing faces
- Cataracts: Cloud the lens and create blurry vision, affecting daily life activities
- Glaucoma: Affects the optic nerve, potentially causing the loss of peripheral vision and eventual blindness
- Detached retinas: Occur due to an injury or build-up of eye fluid; can cause permanent vision loss
With early detection and routine care, you can minimize vision changes. That’s why you should schedule an eye exam with the nearest Visionworks today and continue with annual eye exams.
Signs of Eye Changes in Older Adults
Just like in the other age groups, there are signs of developing eye problems in late adulthood, which include:
- Frequent changes in vision
- Floaters and flashes
- Loss of peripheral vision
- Distorted images
Proactively Care for Your Eyes throughout Your Lifetime
Two key ideas to take away from this article: your eyes change throughout your lifetime, and you need regular eye exams to care for them. To ensure your eyes stay in tip-top shape, make an eye exam appointment at your local Visionworks today.
If you need glasses, we can help you with that, too. You’ll have hundreds of frames glasses to choose from—and help from our friendly Associates to find your ideal pair. If you don’t love your glasses purchase for any reason, you can exchange it with no hassle with our 100-Day Guarantee.
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Information received through Visionworks® content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice, medical recommendations, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your eye doctor, physician, or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
Claims regarding blue light efficiency are supported by manufacturer-provided test results.
