When Do Babies Start Seeing?

Because sight is one of the key developmental milestones that help a child explore the wonders of his surroundings, parents expect it to healthily develop at an earlier stage of their little one’s life.

Is this what really happens?

How a baby’s vision actually develops and when can he start seeing clearly? Read on the post for more details.

At birth, a baby’s eyes have the anatomical structures needed for sight, but his brain is still incapable of processing and understanding the pictures he’s seeing. That means that the world will remain a blurry place for him over the first year of life.

Until he starts seeing clearly around 12 months, a baby’s vision will gradually improve week after another: At birth, an infant can only detect light and movement and recognize faces and big shapes. By the end of his first month, he may be able to communicate with both eyes and focus on things around 30 cm away.

By three or four months, a baby will be capable of perceiving the difference between colors and fixating small-sized objects. By 8 months old, his three-dimensional vision will develop and he will be able to focus on things up to 91 cm away, as well as to watch and follow activities around him.

If, by the time a baby is 4 month old, he doesn’t seem to use and move one or both eyes in any direction, parents need to consult a health care provider and make sure their bundle of joy gets the necessary eye exams; early detection and treatment of eye diseases can save a child’s sight!

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