Baby's Vision Development

Whether or not your baby has your or your spouse's eyes is a debate for the ages. But HOW does your child see just after they are born? Amy Gorin, Health Editor of American Baby Magazine, offers some insight into your newborn's eyesight.

First thing to know is newborns don't see in color. Their world is in black, white and gray. So all those decisions you made on picking out the perfect colors for the nursery walls and the clothes you put on aren't appreciated at first. It will be months before your child begins to see in color.

Newborns are also only able to see 8-12 inches in front of them and have trouble seeing fine detail. This is why babies are particularly interested in human faces. It's also the perfect distance for holding and breastfeeding so your baby can focus on you.

You can help improve your baby's vision by placing his crib in the right place. Putting the crib in the center of the room, or as far from the wall as possible, is the key. This allows your baby to have an unobstructed 360 degree view of the room so they can learn everything around them.

Parent's can start watching for vision problems in their child at around 3 months. You'll be able to get a gauge of your baby's vision development by this time. Red flags to look out for are if your child doesn't look you in the eyes, or if they don't blink when the light goes on. If your child has any of these problems, let your pediatrician know.

And finally, your child will see similiarly as you when they are about a year old. At this point, your baby's vision is almost adultlike. She can see people and objects up close and at a greater distance.

For more tips on baby's eyesight and other parenting tips, please click here.
by Jenn Eaker