The first thing babies see is movement. Research has demonstrated that at birth a baby’s visual acuity is good enough to be able to see many features of the mother’s face, for example, eyes, mouth and nose. However they tend to see the borders of objects, the hairline or edge of the face.

• Babies are unable to focus for the first six to eight weeks because they do not have control of the muscles that enable them to focus causing objects to remain blurry.


• By two months they pay more attention to the face. By five months they recognise the mothers face and distinguish it from all others.


• Research measuring visual acuity in babies and toddlers found that the most dramatic change occurs in the first eight months. The measurements demonstrated that babies at one month, if they could read, would be able to see the big ‘E’ on an eye testing chart and by eight months their visual acuity is nearly as good as normal adult acuity but does not reach the adult level for several years.


• Babies find large black and white patterns the most visible and attractive but they can also distinguish much subtler shades of grey. In the first month they can distinguish two shades of grey but by two months this contrast sensitivity becomes ten times better to become nearly as good as an adult’s sensitivity. They are now able to distinguish the shadows that are unique to their mother’s face.


• Studies have shown that infants as young as two weeks have colour vision and can distinguish between a red and green object matched for brightness but their colour vision is unlikely to be as sensitive as an adults because the receptors and nerves in the eye are immature.


• Babies’ eye movements and coordination are maturing over the first months of life and are important for developing eye/hand coordination, visual acuity and contrast sensitivity. For the first two months their eyes are not well coordinated and wander and appear crossed. This is normal but usually by three months the baby’s eyes are very well coordinated. If after this period the eyes continue to wander or turn in or out it is important to consult a Doctor.


• Depth perception is not present at birth and requires visual experience, good muscle coordination of both eyes and maturity of the nerve cells in the eye and the brain. Infants develop 3D vision between three and five months of age.

Frances Byatt-Smith RN RHV BA Psychology

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