Many new parents may be curious to know— can newborns see and when they can see clearly? A newborn’s eyes have underdeveloped color vision (1). Vision development is a complex five-step process that gradually occurs over several months before it finally becomes a perfect color vision. While the baby’s eyes are developing and gaining vision, you should be alert because it gives you a chance to find any developmental issues early. Read the post to understand in detail how a baby’s vision develops, signs of vision issues, and the right time to consult a doctor for an eye checkup.
When Can Babies See Clearly?
Babies have good color vision with a three-dimensional view by the end of the fifth month; however, it is still not as sensitive as an adult’s (1). High contrast colors tend to capture the baby’s attention initially. Your baby’s eyes are capable of seeing properly at birth, but their brain is not yet ready to process and interpret such complex information. The color that babies see at birth is very rudimentary, and their capability to process different shades of a color is limited. But when can babies see color? Your baby will see things in full-color vision through a gradual development of the eye. Since the baby’s eyes are still developing, you must always keep a watch on any probable anomalies. To do so, it would be wise to first know about the process of vision development in babies.
Vision Development In Babies
We have divided the infant vision development into the following age categories:
Newborn Baby’s Eyesight
A newborn’s vision isn’t fully developed and improves over the next few months.
Baby’s Eyesight During 0-2 Months
However, they still cannot differentiate between similar-looking colors such as red and orange. This means they can interpret a color but can’t differentiate between the various shades (light green and very light green). At the age of five and six months, your baby will start differentiating between dark and light colors (4). A baby’s vision is much more developed now than what it was at the time of birth. Thus, now is the time that you could consult your pediatrician and try the following steps to support your baby’s eye development (1) (4).
Use high contrast pattern toys and place them about 10 inches away from the baby when they are playing.
Use dim artificial lighting in the baby’s room. Sharp lights would cause disturbance.
Young babies usually see their mother’s face while breastfeeding, so keep alternating the sides while feeding so that the baby gets to see you from both the eyes.
When the baby is a month-and-a-half old, play a simple stare game. Hold your baby seven inches away and look into their eyes. Once they see straight into your eyes, move slowly from side to side. They should follow you with their gaze. This makes a great eye exercise for your baby.
By the time the baby is two months old, they will smile and respond to your facial expressions. Make it a point to look straight into their eyes and smile or talk. This will help improve their focus and visual attention.
Baby’s Eyesight At 2-4 Months
The baby is developing depth perception and can track objects. So now, you can gear up a bit and work on the baby’s color vision and overall eye control. To do that, the following steps could be taken.
Your baby’s color vision develops during this period. Introduce them to colorful objects and toys that are painted in vivid colors. A baby gym is a great place for them to exercise their eye control. You can place different types of dangling toys and let them look and touch them all while lying on their backs. Image: Shutterstock
Baby’s Eyesight At 4-8 Months
Between four and eight months, babies can be supported for the development of their visual stimulus skills. The following steps involve the addition of more color to your baby’s toy collection to help develop their visual perception.
Give babies colored blocks to play. Bring them a basket of fruits and let them see all the vibrant natural colors.
Play a hidden objects game, and games like hide and seek. You can also play mini treasure hunt games, which will stimulate them to respond to a visual stimulus.
Toys with bright colors and high contrast patterns will still be their favorites. Therefore, introduce them to patterns that will entice them and hold their visual attention longer.
Baby’s Eyesight At 9-12 Months
This is the time when your baby finally sees the way an adult sees. There is now a fully developed color vision, and depth perception is much better. It’s the time for helping your baby develop eye-muscle coordination. This is also the time when the baby may be supported to recall the visuals by pointing at drawings and human faces.
Include moving object games in their playtime. Play simple games with a throw ball and toys attached to the string. Image: Shutterstock
Have story time sessions where you open a brightly colored and illustrated book in front of them and read through it. Encourage them to point toward the drawing, and prompt them to say its name.
Babies love human faces, so have as much family bonding as you can. It is a great way to stimulate their ability to learn and recall new faces.
A regular eye checkup is always recommended for the general well-being of your little one. Chalking out the signs and symptoms well in time could help in avoiding complications. Below is a list of signs and symptoms which should be checked.
Signs Of Eye And Vision Problems
Vision problems could lead to developmental issues. Therefore, it is important to watch for the signs and symptoms to act well in time (7).
When Should You Take Your Baby For Eye Checkup?
The following are common eye ailments found in babies. These can be detected through regular eye checkup:
Premature Baby Eyesight Development
Premature babies have critically underdeveloped organs, including eyes. This puts them at a higher risk of complications when it comes to visual development. Through care and medication, their vision development can be aligned with that of regular babies. Premature babies run the risk of developing a condition called retinopathy of prematurity. It leads to the damage of the retina, which can be permanent. What escalates the risk in premature babies, apart from underdeveloped eyes, is the excess use of oxygen due to poorly developed lungs that are not yet capable of separating oxygen from the air. Excess oxygen interferes with the development of the blood vessels that supply blood to the retina (14). RetinopathyiXA disease affecting the retina’s red blood cells and impacting vision. of prematurity can be treated during the general course of care and nursing of a premature baby.
