At birth, all structures necessary for vision are fully developed. However, the neonate has not developed the skill to utilize the sight organs for vision. It is in the course of the early life that infants learn skills for vision.  These skills include bringing objects into focus and developing eye-hand coordination. The ability to recognize depth and make spatial judgments is also developed. With time going by, a newborn develops complex skills such as visual perception and the ability to co-ordinate muscle movement with vision, assisting to its visual development and help your baby to explore and understand his world, which is of essential importance. For such an important process, this article will show you important information all about newborn vision.

When Can a Newborn See?

When a newborn can see is an important concern all about newborn vision. Vision is fully developed to adults’ level between ages 3 and 5. Newborn vision develops at an incredibly fast speed. Remarkable steps in visual development occur during the first year of life and a child is able to see quite clearly by the first birthday. At birth, a neonate’s eyes can appreciate light, movement and large objects. First month down the line, the baby can discern faces and maintain eye contact. They can also focus on objects 12 inches away. By 2 months old, a baby can track moving object up to 180 degree and mostly prefers faces. When it comes to 3 to 4 months, it can focus on smaller objects up to 3 feet away.

Along with the sight development, color vision develops between 4 to 6 months, and distinction between colors can be achieved at 3 months.

What Can a Newborn See?

What a newborn can see is another important matter all about newborn vision. Of the five senses that a human has, sight is the least developed one at birth.

Stage of Development	The Baby’s View
Stage one: newborns	A newborn’s vision is limited to 8-12 inches. Anything beyond that is blurry and cannot be appreciated by the baby.
Stage two: 2 months	The muscles controlling eye movements are able to function in synchrony. The newborn is therefore able to track motions close to his or her face.
Stage three: 4 months	Color vision develops. The newborn starts getting interested in colorful toys and stuffed animals.
Stage four: 6 months	Appreciation of finer details is well developed.The newborn can be found gazing intently at objects around him such as toys.

How Will You Know If There Are Newborn Vision Problems?

Like any other development process, abnormalities can arise during the maturation of vision centers. It is essential for parents to understand some key elements that alert them of a brewing problem and seek medical assistance early enough.

• Unable to tract moving objects by 3 months old

By 3 months, a baby should have developed coordinated eye movements.It should raise concern if a kid is unable to track a moving object at this age.

• Crossed eyes

The muscles controlling eye movement develop with the maturity of brain. The higher centers send impulses to the muscles aiding movement of the eyes in all directions. If a parent notices that a child has an arrested gaze in one or more directions, it is important to seek medical attention. This also can manifest as crossed eyes, medically referred to squint.

• Amblyopia

Normal eye vision is mandatory for development of visual centers in the brain. In cross eyes, there is a risk of one side of the visual brain centers failing to develop. This is known as amblyopia. Once the damage occurs, it is irreversible. The earlier crossed eyes are corrected, the better the outcome of the child.

• White pupils under bright light

If parents notice that one or both of the baby’s pupils appear white especially under bright light, they should seek medical attention immediately. It could be retinoblastoma, a type of cancer that arises from the retina. The stage of the cancer at the time of diagnosis determines the treatment options.

• Other elements you should know

Persistent discharge from the eyes and hypersensitivity to light require a visit to a healthcare professional.

The following video shows how to tell if a baby’s vision is normal before age three:

How Can You Help to Develop Newborn Vision?

It is the joy of a parent that a baby passes through development stages safely. As parents, there are factors beyond control. For instance, if a mutation occurs in a gene, resulting in growth of a tumor, parents can do little to rectify that. However, there are basic aspects of childcare that will help with ensuring healthy sight and vision development.

1. Get Your Baby’s Eyes Tested Regularly

On every visit to the well-child examination, parents should ensure that the doctor thoroughly examines your baby’s eyes for any abnormalities. The doctor should be given information pertinent to eye health such as a family history of eye disease. Eye exams using charts that have pictures and letters can be performed once the child is three years old. If a problem is detected, a child will be referred to an ophthalmologist for comprehensive treatment.

2. 2. Hold Your Baby Close

As mentioned earlier, in the first month, babies can only see up to 12 inches. This means that they are only able to appreciate faces of people holding them. Holding your baby close will keep their visual centers stimulated, hence ensure further development.

3. Move Objects in Front of the Baby’s Face

Once the child is able to track movements, parents are encouraged to rattle objects in front of its face from time to time and observe its eye movements concurrently to check for any abnormalities. During the first two months of the newborn, hold the baby close to your face often. This will be beneficial in fortifying the mother child bond.

4. Motivate Your Baby’s Interest in Primary Colors and Pastels

Motivate your baby’s interest in primary colors and pastels. A baby’s interest in color vision can be enhanced by incorporating primary colors stimulators or primary-colored objects into the baby’s daily routine. For instance, a primary-colored moving object can be hung out of reach or a colorful poster can be hung in your baby’s vision field. Encouraging you baby to do some pastels also assists to its vision development.

The following video shows samples of contrasting primary colors and images that can help develop newborn vision: