Posted on August 25, 2022

Stages of Infant Eye Development

Birth to 4 Months of Age:

"When an infant is born, everything that happens to them or in front of them stimulates them. But while you may catch them looking intently at your face or another object, they have not yet developed the ability to tell the difference between two objects or targets. During this time, they cannot move their eyes between two images. From birth to four months, an infant’s primary focus is on objects or targets within 10 inches of their face."

"During the first couple of months after birth, an infant’s eyes will not be coordinated, and you may notice their eyes crossing or wandering. These movements are typical, but if the movements are constant, you should consult with your doctor."

"Also in the first few months, an infant’s eyes will begin working together, which is when their vision will improve. You will begin to see eye-hand coordination develop as the infant tracks objects and reaches out for them."

"By the eighth week, an infant can focus more easily with their eyes on the face of someone who’s holding them or is nearby."

5 to 8 Months of Age:

"Between an infant’s fifth and eighth month of life, their eye movements along with eye-body coordination will continue to improve. They will also develop depth perception, which gives them the ability to determine if an object is close or far away. By the 5th month, an infant should be able to form a three-dimensional view of their world."

"While an infant between five and eight months does not have vision that is as sensitive as an adult’s, they have quality color vision."

"When a baby begins to crawl around eight months of age, it will further help them develop eye-hand-foot-body coordination. If a child is an early walker and did not spend much time crawling, they may not learn to use their eyes together as well as a baby who spends more time crawling."

9 to 12 Months of Age:

"Between nine and 12 months of age, a baby should begin pulling themselves up into a standing position. Around their 10th month, they should be able to grasp objects with their forefinger and thumb."

"When children reach the 1 year mark, they should be crawling adequately and beginning to walk. You should encourage your young child to crawl rather than walk early as it will help improve their eye-hand coordination. By the 12th month, a baby can judge distances and throw objects with precision."

1 to 2 Years of Age:

"Between a child’s first and second year, they should have developed depth-perception and good eye-hand coordination. During this time, your child is highly interested in exploring their world as well as listening and looking at what is around them."

"Also, during this age time, your child should be recognizing familiar objects. A child in this age group should also be recognizing objects in books and be able to scribble with a pencil or crayon."

Signs of Vision Development Problems: What to Look For:

"Rarely do infants experience vision problems. Most begin life with healthy eyes."

"From birth, infants develop visual abilities they will need to use throughout life. Occasionally they may have a vision issue or have their eye health compromised."

"As a parent, you can look for signs of potential problems. Such as:"

An eye or eyes that are constantly turning may indicate problems with eye muscle control
A white pupil can be an indication of cancer being present in the eye
If your child’s eye shows excessive tearing, they could have a blocked eye duct
If you notice your child having problems with lights, or shows signs of light sensitivity, it could be a sign of elevated pressure in their eye
Encrusted or red eyelids can be a sign of an infection

"If you notice any of these signs or symptoms, you should contact your pediatrician immediately."

Source: myvision.org