I hear it from patient’s all the time, “Dr. Wruble, how do I know EXACTLY what my baby can see?” Honestly, I typically tell them the best way to determine this is to check on their visual development by getting their first eye exam at 6 months old.

Note: we recommend the InfantSEE program, a free, comprehensive infant eye exam for 6 to 12-month-old babies.

In the video below, Dr. Rachael Wruble discusses the natural development of your baby’s vision as they grow.

With this in mind, the normal development of a baby’s vision is as follows:

Birth

At birth, a baby’s vision is about 20/400, which is the size of the “big E” at your doctor’s office. Most babies vision starts out farsighted and their vision clears up as they grow and get bigger!

They can also see objects, movement, and light about 8 – 15 inches away. Your face is one of the most interesting things at birth so remember to smile and use a lot of facial expressions when holding your baby.

RELATED: Hyperopia (Farsightedness): How Does It Impact Your Vision?

2 to 5 months old

At 2 months old, babies will start to see color. Around 5 months old develop depth perception, as the eyes begin working better together.

It is important that your baby is stimulated by colorful objects and movement to develop tracking such as following a toy from side to side.

6 to 8 months old

At around 6 to 8 months your baby will start to notice small objects like food on the table and try to reach for it. Reading picture books to your child can be great at this stage.

9 to 12 months old

Between 9 to 12 months old visual processing is beginning to take place so help out by playing hide and seek with toys or your face.

1 to 2 years old

From 1 to 2 years old small muscles around the eye are developing along with fine motor skills. Therefore, give your child different size objects to play with along with some building blocks to aid in development.

3 to 5 years old

Lastly, by 3 to 5 years old, your baby’s vision can reach the adult level of 20/20.

If you’re curious about your baby’s vision and how their eyes are developing, make sure to schedule an appointment with a local eye care professional today!

To schedule a no-cost, comprehensive infant eye exam for your 6 to 12-month-old, visit www.infantsee.org.