Vision Development - Newborn To 12 Months - American Academy of Ophthalmology

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Vision Development: Newborn to

12 Months
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10 Child Eye Problems Parents

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Four Hidden Signs of Vision Vision Development: Newborn to 12 Months

Problems in Kids
Photos Can Help Diagnose Leer en Español: Desarrollo de la visión: recién nacido hasta los 12 meses
Children’s Eye Problems and Save
Sight
By Kierstan Boyd
Learning Disabilities and Vision Reviewed By Stephen N Lipsky MD
Edited By David Turbert
Feb. 01, 2022
A baby's vision goes through many changes during their first year of life. Your pediatrician will check
your infant’s vision at each well-child visit. They make sure your baby's vision is developing as it
should. Knowing what to expect can help you watch and enjoy your child’s visual development.
A word about premature babies

We base the vision development milestones below on your baby's due date, not based on the date
they were born.
Newborns: adjusting to light and beginning to focus

At birth, an infant is very sensitive to bright light. You may notice how small their pupils look, limiting
how much light enters their eyes. A newborn baby can see something next to them with their
peripheral (side) vision, but their central vision is still developing.
Within a couple of weeks, as their

retinas develop, a baby’s pupils widen.
They can see light and dark ranges
and patterns. Large shapes and bright
colors may begin to attract their
attention. A baby also may begin to
focus on an object right in front of
them.
At about 1 month, your baby may

focus briefly on you but may still prefer
brightly colored objects up to 3 feet
away. Infants are able to see across a
room even at birth, but they are mostly
interested in objects very close to
them.
From 2 to 4 months: focusing and tracking moving objects

For their first 2 months, babies' eyes often do not work together very well. You might notice your
baby's eyes appear to be crossed or they may seem to wander out to the sides. In most cases, this is
normal and they will eventually correct themselves. But if one of your baby's eyes constantly turns in
toward their nose or outward away from the nose, talk with your pediatrician.
At about 2 months old, babies usually are able to follow a moving object with their eyes as their visual
coordination improves. In fact, at around 3 months old, your baby may have enough eye and arm
coordination to bat at a nearby moving object.
At 3 months old, your baby's eyes should work together to focus and track objects. If you do not
notice this happening, talk with your pediatrician.
From 5 to 8 months: reaching, recognizing, and recalling

At around 5 months old, a baby's ability to see how far an object is from them (called depth
perception) has developed more fully. They are seeing the world in 3 dimensions (3-D) more
completely. They get better at reaching for objects both near and far. They also have good color
vision at this point, though not quite as fully developed as an adult's.
At this stage, a baby may recognize their parent across a room and smile at them. They can see
objects outside when looking through a window. They might even remember what an object is even if
they only see part of it.
Babies generally start crawling at around 8 months old, and this further enhances their hand-eye
coordination.
From 9 to 12 months: gripping, grasping and on the go

At about 9 months old, babies can generally judge distance pretty well. This is about when they start
to pull themselves up to stand. Your baby's eyes are probably their final color now. However, it is not
uncommon to see some slight changes later.
At around 10 months old, babies can usually see and judge distance well enough to grasp something
between their thumb and forefinger.
By 12 months old, most babies are

crawling and trying to walk.
Steps to make sure your

child's eyes and vision
develop properly
Eye or vision problems can delay a
baby's development. It is important
to find these problems as early as
possible so you can get them the help
they need to grow and learn properly.
Parents should take these important

steps:
Watch for problems like inward or outward turning eyes or significant delays in tracking moving
objects. Bring them to your pediatrician's attention.
Get infant/child eye screenings as recommended to catch any vision problems early.
Ask your pediatrician for age-appropriate activities you can do with your baby to help develop
their vision.
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Vision Development - Newborn To 12 Months - American Academy of Ophthalmology

Uploaded by

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For Public & Patients / Tips & Prevention

Babies Children and

Eye Screening for Children

Vision Development: Newborn to

Vision Development: Childhood

Childhood Eye Diseases and

Screen Use for Kids

20 Things to Know About Children's

10 Child Eye Problems Parents

Four Hidden Signs of Vision Vision Development: Newborn to 12 Months

A word about premature babies

Newborns: adjusting to light and beginning to focus

Within a couple of weeks, as their

At about 1 month, your baby may

From 2 to 4 months: focusing and tracking moving objects

From 5 to 8 months: reaching, recognizing, and recalling

From 9 to 12 months: gripping, grasping and on the go

By 12 months old, most babies are

Steps to make sure your

Parents should take these important

Enter ZIP Code Search

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