Babies don’t open their eyes immediately after birth, at least for long periods. This happens a few short days later, to the joy of the new parents. It takes a newborn’s visual system time to develop so baby won’t see a lot of details during those first few weeks of life. Their world is somewhat gray during the early weeks. Although baby begins to see shortly after birth, it takes months for vision to develop fully. Talk to your baby’s pediatrician to learn the timeline and the things your baby can -and can not- see at a particular age.

Vision During Pregnancy

Your baby begins developing vision before birth. Your habits affect baby’s body and mind development, including the eyes. Follow all care instructions offered by your OB/GYN and take proper supplements to support your changing body and developing baby. Avoid alcohol, drugs, and smoking during pregnancy.

How to Spot Vision Problems

Baby’s doctor will examine his eyes shortly after birth. This exam rules out dangerous eye conditions such as congenital cataracts. An antibiotic ointment is applied to the newborn baby’s eye after birth, which prevents infections from the bacteria found in the birth canal. Your baby sees only in black, white, and gray now, since the nerve cells in the retina rent fully developed yet. Your newborn cannot wholly focus either, so don’t be alarmed if your baby seems to cross his eyes or be unable to focus on an object. 

Pay attention to how well your baby’s eyes work together rather than the focus. Eye alignment problems are common in newborns. Strabismus is the medical term for eye misalignment. When treated early, the vision can develop properly. Untreated, the problem often leads to amblyopia, better known as a lazy eye. If you notice the baby isn’t coordinating his eyes or that one is misaligned, let the pediatrician know.

Nystagmus is another potential eye problem in newborns. This problem causes involuntary back and forth eye movements. Most often, eye drifting occurs in one direction and then a ‘jump’ back the other direction. The condition affects both eyes. 

VOPA Eye Exams for Children

Our Colorado Springs eye doctor can examine the baby’s eyes if you notice vision problems such as those described above. We see veterans and their family members, too. After a vision appointment with our highly trained optometrists, new parents gain comfort knowing their infant’s eyes are healthy or that the trouble was caught early so proper treatment resolves the problem.