Last updated 2026-02-17

Your Newborn's Eyes — A Guide to the First 12 Months

Your Newborn’s Eyes — A Guide to the First 12 Months

⏱️ Quick Summary (30 seconds)

🟢 Urgency: Routine information — but know the warning signs.

The short version: Babies aren’t born with perfect vision. They learn to see, step by step, over the first year. Most of what looks “wrong” in the early weeks (wandering eyes, no focusing) is completely normal.

Month-by-month at a glance:

• Birth: Can see about 20-30 cm (8-12 inches) — just enough to see your face while feeding
• 2-3 months: Starts following moving objects and recognizing your face
• 5 months: Sees in color and begins to judge distances
• 8-9 months: Recognizes people across a room, coordinates eyes with crawling
• 12 months: Vision is about 30-50% of adult level; still developing

When to worry: Eyes still crossing after 4 months. Not tracking objects by 3 months. A white spot in the pupil (any age). Excessive tearing that won’t stop. One eye always turning in or out.

Your baby is learning to see

One of the most beautiful and surprising things about babies is that they aren’t born knowing how to see. They learn it — just like they learn to walk and talk. [Source: src2]

When your baby first opens their eyes, the world is blurry, mostly shades of light and dark, and limited to a very small area directly in front of them. Over the next twelve months, their brain and eyes will undergo an extraordinary process of learning — forming connections, building coordination, and gradually turning a fuzzy world into a clear, colorful, three-dimensional one. [Source: src1]

Understanding this process can help you know what to expect, what’s normal, and what might be worth asking your doctor about.

Month by month: what your baby sees and does

Birth to 1 month: Light, shadows, and your face

What they see: Your newborn can focus on things about 20 to 30 cm (8 to 12 inches) away — roughly the distance from their eyes to your face when you’re feeding or holding them. Everything beyond that is a blur. They’re most attracted to high-contrast patterns (black and white, light and dark) and the edges of shapes. They can detect light and will blink or turn away if it’s too bright. [Sources: src1, src2]

What’s normal to see in their eyes: Their eyes may wander, seem unfocused, or occasionally cross. This is normal — the six tiny muscles around each eye are brand new and learning to coordinate. Their pupils are small, limiting how much light enters. [Source: src1]

What you can do:

• Hold your baby close during feedings — your face is the most interesting thing in their world right now.
• Use a dim nightlight in the baby’s room. China’s National Health Commission specifically recommends maintaining good room brightness during the day for visual stimulation, and turning off bright lights at night for sleep. [Source: src3]
• Alternate which side you hold or feed the baby on, so both eyes get equal stimulation. [Source: src2]

A reassurance for new parents: If your newborn’s eyes look “weird” — not focused, crossing, wandering off in different directions — take a breath. This is almost always normal in the first weeks. Their eye muscles are like a new driver learning to steer. It takes practice. If you’re still concerned, mention it at your next checkup, but try not to lose sleep over it. [Source: src1]

2 to 3 months: First smiles and first focus

What they see: This is when things start getting exciting. Your baby begins to focus more steadily on your face and may reward you with their first real smiles. They can start to follow a moving object — a toy, your hand, a face — with their eyes. Their color vision is developing, and they’re especially drawn to bright primary colors and bold patterns. [Sources: src1, src2]

A milestone to watch for: By about 3 months, your baby should be able to follow a moving toy or your face as it moves from side to side. If they can’t track moving objects at all by this age, mention it to your pediatrician. [Source: src6]

What you can do:

• Slowly move a colorful toy or rattle from side to side in front of your baby and let them follow it with their eyes.
• Talk to your baby as you move around the room — they’ll try to find your voice with their eyes. [Source: src2]
• Hang a mobile above the crib with bold colors and simple shapes. Change its position occasionally so the baby looks in different directions. [Source: src2]

4 to 5 months: The world in color and depth

What they see: By 4 months, your baby’s color vision has developed significantly — they can now distinguish between similar shades, not just bold contrasts. Around 5 months, something remarkable happens: their brain starts combining the slightly different images from each eye into a single three-dimensional picture. This is when depth perception begins — the ability to judge how far away things are. [Sources: src1, src2]

An important milestone: By about 4 to 5 months, your baby’s eyes should look straight and move together consistently. Occasional crossing before this was normal; after this, consistent crossing or one eye drifting is something to discuss with your doctor. [Source: src6]

What you can do:

• Let your baby reach for toys — this develops hand-eye coordination and uses their new depth perception.
• Play peek-a-boo — it helps them understand that things continue to exist even when hidden. [Source: src2]
• Give them time on the floor on their tummy — this builds the neck and arm strength they’ll need for crawling, and also exercises their visual system as they look around. [Source: src2]

6 to 8 months: Seeing the world while moving through it

What they see: Vision is now sharp enough to recognize familiar faces across a room. Your baby can see small objects, follow fast movements, and has good color vision — nearly as good as an adult’s. They may begin to remember what an object looks like even when they can only see part of it. [Source: src1]

A big development: Most babies start crawling around this time, and this is huge for visual development. Crawling requires coordinating vision with body movement — looking where you’re going, judging distances, and reaching for things. It’s like a training program for the eyes and brain working together. [Sources: src1, src2]

What you can do:

• Place toys slightly out of reach to encourage crawling toward them.
• Let your baby explore different textures and shapes — this combines touch and vision.
• Give them safe objects to pick up, hold, and examine closely. [Source: src2]

9 to 12 months: Almost there

What they see: Your baby can now judge distances well enough to grab things accurately and throw them (which they will, repeatedly). They can pull themselves up to stand and can visually coordinate the complex movements involved. By 12 months, their vision is roughly 30-50% of adult clarity — still developing, but remarkably capable. In China’s clinical standards, normal vision at age 1 is about 0.2 on the standard chart (compared to the adult standard of 1.0). [Sources: src1, src3]

What you can do:

• Name objects and point to them — this connects what your baby sees with language.
• Play rolling or tossing games with a soft ball.
• Read picture books together, pointing to images and letting them turn pages. [Source: src2]
• Give them blocks, stacking cups, and shape sorters — all great for developing fine visual skills. [Source: src2]

Common newborn eye concerns (and when to worry)

“My baby’s eyes are crossing”

As we’ve said, this is very common and almost always normal in the first 3-4 months. The eye muscles are still learning. However, if you notice that one eye is always turned in or out (not just occasionally), or if crossing persists beyond 4 months, tell your doctor. This could be strabismus (eye misalignment), which occurs in about 2-5% of children and should be treated early. [Sources: src5, src6]

Some babies have wide, flat noses that make their eyes look crossed even when they’re perfectly aligned — this is called pseudostrabismus and is completely harmless. Your doctor can tell the difference with a quick test. [Source: src5]

“My baby’s eyes are always tearing”

Lots of babies have one or both eyes that tear constantly — this is usually caused by a blocked tear duct (a tiny tube that normally drains tears from the eye into the nose is too narrow or hasn’t opened yet). This is very common, affecting up to 20% of newborns, and it almost always resolves on its own by 12 months. [Source: src3]

What helps: Gently massaging the area between the inner corner of the eye and the nose a few times a day can help open the duct. Your doctor can show you how. Keep the area clean by wiping away discharge with a clean, warm, damp cloth. [Source: src3]

When to worry: If the eye becomes very red, swollen, or the discharge turns thick and yellow/green (signs of possible infection), see your doctor. [Source: src3]

“My baby has a red/pink eye”

A reddish or pinkish eye in a newborn can be caused by several things — a blocked tear duct that’s become mildly irritated, a reaction to the antibiotic drops given at birth, or occasionally an infection. Most are mild and resolve quickly. If the eye is very red, there’s a lot of discharge, the eyelids are swollen, or your baby seems to be in pain, see a doctor the same day. [Source: src3]

“I noticed a white spot in my baby’s eye”

🔴 This is always urgent. A white, gray, or yellow glow in the pupil could indicate a serious condition like congenital cataracts or retinoblastoma. Please read our detailed article on white pupil (leukocoria) and see an eye doctor within days. [Source: src3]

“My baby was born premature”

Premature babies (born before about 30-32 weeks) face a higher risk of an eye condition called retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) — where the blood vessels in the retina develop abnormally. China’s National Health Commission recommends that babies born weighing less than 2000g or before 32 weeks should have their first eye exam at 4-6 weeks of age (or at a corrected age of 32 weeks). Your baby’s neonatal team should arrange this, but it’s worth asking to make sure it’s been scheduled. [Source: src3]

If your baby was premature, their visual milestones may come a bit later than what’s listed above — use their corrected age (based on their original due date, not their actual birth date) when comparing to milestones. This is normal and not a cause for alarm. [Source: src1]

What the first-year eye screenings check

During your baby’s first year, doctors will check their eyes at several well-baby visits (the exact timing depends on where you live — see our eye exam schedule article for details). These checks typically include:

• Red reflex test — shining a light into each eye to check for a normal, even red glow (this catches cataracts, retinoblastoma, and other problems). [Source: src4]
• External exam — looking at the eyes, eyelids, and tear ducts from the outside. [Source: src4]
• Eye alignment — checking that both eyes point in the same direction. [Source: src5]
• Pupil response — checking that both pupils get smaller when light is shone on them, equally. [Source: src5]
• Fix and follow — whether the baby can fix their gaze on something and follow it as it moves. [Source: src5]

These are quick, painless checks, and most babies don’t mind them at all. [Source: src4]

A letter to new parents

If you’ve read this whole article, you’re clearly someone who cares deeply about your baby. So let us say this: you are doing a great job.

Parenting a newborn is exhausting, overwhelming, and full of uncertainty. It’s natural to worry about every little thing — including whether your baby’s eyes are developing normally. Most of the time, they are. Babies are remarkably resilient, and their visual system is designed to develop through everyday interactions with you.

The most important things you can do for your baby’s eye health are things you’re probably already doing: holding them close, looking into their eyes, talking to them, showing them colorful things, giving them time on the floor to move and explore, and taking them to regular checkups.

If something doesn’t seem right, trust yourself and ask. You know your baby better than any article on the internet does.

⚕️ Medical Disclaimer: This article is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. If you have any concerns about your baby’s eyes or vision development, please consult your pediatrician or an eye care professional. If your baby was born premature, please follow the specific screening schedule recommended by your baby’s medical team.

Sources

1. American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO). “Vision Development: Newborn to 12 Months.” 2025. https://www.aao.org/eye-health/tips-prevention/baby-vision-development-first-year
2. American Optometric Association (AOA). “Infant Vision: Birth to 24 Months of Age.” https://www.aoa.org/healthy-eyes/eye-health-for-life/infant-vision
3. 国家卫生健康委 (China National Health Commission). “0～6岁儿童眼保健核心知识问答.” 2021. https://www.gov.cn/zhengce/zhengceku/2021-06/24/content_5620637.htm
4. NHS (UK). “Eye tests for children.” 2024. https://www.nhs.uk/tests-and-treatments/eye-tests-in-children/
5. “Pediatric Vision Screening.” Pediatrics in Review, 2018. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6317790/
6. HealthyChildren.org / American Academy of Pediatrics. “Warning Signs of Vision Problems in Infants & Children.”