There is a saying that there are not seven wonders in the eyes of a child, but seven million. The remarkable truth about your baby is that they don’t see the world as adults do. Just as your baby will reach certain milestones at certain times in her development, her eye development goes through different stages.
Of all the senses of your baby, her sight is the least developed at birth. As she grows, so does her ability to see objects, concentrate on them at different distances clearly, and when they move, follow them.
Newborn Babies
A baby can see about 20 to 25cm at birth, about the same distance from the face of your baby to yours, while cradling her in your arms.
When you are “oohing” and “aahing” and your baby responds by looking everywhere except at you, don’t get despondent. A newborn’s vision is estimated to be approximately 10 to 30 times weaker than that of an adult, so things are pretty blurry for her.
Remember that your baby’s eyes will continue to change for up to six months, so don’t jump to conclusions about your child’s eye colour before then.
Weeks 6-12
Your baby will now be able to more accurately focus on and follow the light from a torch or toy.
She can recognise your facial characteristics and expressions at this stage, and smile in response. Your baby’s perception of depth is also developing now.
Introducing black and white toys to your baby is a good idea as she will now be drawn to contrasting patterns and colours.
At her six-week check-up, by moving an object in front of her and noting whether she can focus both her eyes at the same time and follow the moving object, your healthcare provider will check the sight of your baby.
8 Weeks
Your baby’s colour vision is improving, but it may still appear that her eyes work independently of each other. Also, she may seem to look aimlessly around the room. Her focus should improve by about three to four months, but if her eyes are still squinting, it may be a good idea to check with your pediatrician, who will arrange an ophthalmologist for an eye exam.
Two Months
Your baby can finally see your face clearly, and as her eyes work together, she will now easily focus on objects.
If objects are positioned suddenly in front of her, she will also close her eyes.
Don’t be shocked if she seems to stare at objects with broad eyes as if she were scared. This is just her way of concentrating on something most of the time, and it will diminish as her eyesight gets stronger.
Three Months
Slow-moving objects should now be followed with ease by your baby. If you hold a toy about 25 cm from her and move the toy slowly toward her nose, she’ll turn her eyes.
As their hand-eye coordination continues to develop, babies at this age should start reaching for objects. Promoting sensory activities, such as peek-a-boo and tummy time, is a great way to support growth while bonding with your little one.
6 Months
The eyes of your baby should now be working together as an effective team. Her perception of depth will also be established. Your baby can tell how far an object is from her and she will enjoy seeing it in three dimensions and full colour.
Eight months
As she will now be able to spot and pick up an object as small as a crumb, you will need to be more vigilant about what you leave lying within the grasp of your baby. At this stage, her visual awareness is increased by a greater notion of depth, size, colour, and shape.
Three Years
Your child’s eyesight can now be objectively tested, and she should have a comprehensive eye examination now. The vision of your child should be equal to yours at this stage.
Sadly, vision issues tend to start at an early age and can be difficult to detect in daily life. Since we have two eyes and children can adapt well, until it is picked up at school that she struggles to read or see the board, you may not realise your child has an eye problem. It is advisable to have the eyes of your child checked. The sooner a problem is picked up, the sooner it can be corrected. Have your child’s eyes checked regularly if you or your partner are short-sighted, as it can be hereditary.
