A baby's eyesight develops over time and improves each month  through the first year of life.  In this post, we  outline the vision milestones you can expect for your infant, as well as tips for when to see a pediatrician regarding your baby's sight development.

Baby Vision Development by Month

Birth to 1 Month:

• Vision: In the first month, an infant's vision is blurry; babies under one month can only see about 8–12 inches away.
• Behavior: <1-month-olds prefer high-contrast patterns (e.g., black & white).
• Eyes: A newborn's eyes may appear crossed or uncoordinated.
• Response: Infants turn their heads toward light; they blink in response to bright light.

2 to 3 Months:

• Focus: Two- to  three-month-old infants begin to follow moving objects with their eyes.
• Coordination: At two to three months, a baby's eyes start moving together more smoothly.
• Recognition: Your baby will begin to recognize familiar faces at close range at around two or three months.
• Hand-Eye Coordination: By three months your baby should be  tracking objects with their eyes  and may attempt to bat at them.

4 to 5 Months:

• Depth Perception: In months four and five, your baby's depth perception will begin to develop; he or she will be able to see more clearly at a distance.
• Color Vision: By four or five months a baby's color vision improves—they can now see a full range of colors.
• Tracking: The ability to follow objects with eyes continues improving in months four and five.
• Interest: 4-5-month-old babies typically have an increased interest in toys and faces.

6 to 7 Months:

• Visual Acuity: At six to seven  months, your baby should be able to recognize people and objects across a room.
• Hand-Eye Coordination: 6-7-month-olds have improved hand-eye coordination and can pick up objects and brings them to their mouths.
• Memory: Your baby will recognize familiar faces and may show stranger anxiety.

8 to 10 Months:

• Judging Distance: Between eight and ten months, babies typically can judge distance well; this is important for crawling and reaching.
• Fine Motor Coordination: Improved visual-motor skills mean that your baby will start to grasp smaller objects with more precision.

11 to 12 Months:

• Exploration: By your baby's first birthday, he or she will use vision to guide mobility (crawling, cruising, walking).
• Recognition: A one-year-old should easily recognizes faces and familiar objects, even at a distance.
• Interest in Pictures: One-year-olds typically enjoy to look at, and may point to, pictures in books.

When to Consult a Pediatrician or Eye Specialist

You should reach out to a pediatrician to have your baby's eyesight evaluated if:

• Your baby's eyes are constantly crossed
• One eye turns out/in
• Your baby doesn’t follow objects or faces by three months
• Your baby isn't interested in visual stimuli or toys by 4–5 months
• Your infant's eyes have a cloudy or otherwise unusual appearance
• You notice excessive tearing, red eyes, or light sensitivity in your baby's eyes

For information on how you can help your baby develop his or her eye tracking skills, visit our post on baby eyesight development tips.