| From the
time we are born to about 8 years of age, our eyeballs
undergo remarkable changes. Normally, as the front of
the eye grows, it flattens, which sends images deeper
inside the eye. If the eye grows as it should, light
will converge on the retina. But if the convergence is
off by even a hair's breadth, vision will be blurred.
Most preschool and elementary school children are
slightly farsighted. This lessens as children grow,
usually stabilizing by adolescence.
During these years of growth, the eye senses where
images are focusing and compensates accordingly. If
light is converging in front of the retina, the eye will
stop growing longer until images catch up to the retina.
If the focus is behind the eye, it will grow longer at a
remarkable rate, pushing the retina further from the
source of light until images can be focused. The eyes
are generally able to maintain clear focus throughout
childhood even though the size of the eyeballs is
continually changing.
The ability to see in three dimensions, stereoscopic
vision, is usually fully developed by the age of 6 or 7.
Sources
Cassel, G. Billig. The Eye Book: A Complete Guide to
Eye Disorders and Health. Baltimore, MA: Johns
Hopkins University Press, 1988.
Collins, J.F. Your Eyes: An Owner's Guide.
Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall, 1995.
D'Alonzo, T.L. Your Eyes: A Comprehensive Look at the
Understanding and Treatment of Vision Problems.
Clifton Heights, PA: Avanti Publishing, 1991.
Eden, J. The Physician's Guide to Cataracts,
Glaucoma, and Other Eye Problems. New York, NY:
Consumer Reports Books, A Division of Consumers Union
Yonkers, 1992.
Schuman, B.N. The Human Eye. New York, NY:
Atheneum, 1986.
Couliano, I.P. Eros and Magic in the Renaissance.
Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press, 1984. |
