Infancy

Babies are able to see at birth, but vision is not fully developed. Newborns can distinguish bright colors, masses, and bold, contrasting patterns. Babies can focus on objects 8 to 12 inches away - about the distance between the baby's and mother's face during breastfeeding. Beyond this distance, babies cannot see clearly, but can distinguish patches of light, larges shapes and movement.

The ability to recognize what we see lies in the brain's occipital lobe, near the back of the head. In babies, the pathways that relay the information from the eye to the brain are not fully developed yet. So, at first, babies don't understand what they are seeing.

Birth to 4 Months
In the first few months of life, focusing ability, color distinction, depth perception and hand/body coordination develop rapidly.

During the first month, babies prefer contrasting dark and light patterns to solid colors. They are unable to tell the difference between similar shades (red and orange) or distinguish pastels. From age 2 to 4 months, colors become distinct and babies begin to recognize primary shades.

In the first few weeks, eyes may wander in different directions. By 1 to 2 months of age, eyes focus equally and babies can track moving objects. Babies will follow faces and objects from side-to-side, which will help develop the ability to focus on close objects. If you talk while moving around the room, the baby will look in the direction of your voice. This action may help the baby focus the eyes equally on distant objects.

Stationary crib mobiles in bright, primary colors-red, green, blue and yellow, or high contrast patterns help develop focus. At about 2 months of age, babies lose interest in stationary objects and prefer to track moving objects. Brightly colored toys and wall hangings will capture their attention and develop the ability to distinguish colors and shapes.

At about 2 months, when babies' fists begin to uncurl, they will begin reaching for bright objects, developing eye-hand coordination. When a baby holds a noisy toy, the sound attracts his or her attention, making it easier to learn the connection between what the eyes see and what the hands do.

In the third month, babies swipe at objects strung across the crib or stroller. Reaching like this refines hand-eye coordination.

Age 4 to 8 Months
Beginning at about 4 months, depth perception, focus, and object tracking skills are refined. By this time, the eyes should work together and focus equally on objects. This ability is important for binocular and three-dimensional vision.

Babies begin to be able to track moving objects near-to-far. At this time, babies also learn to recognize people and remember things. Hide and seek or "peekaboo" games improve this skill.

Toys with things to touch and see will hold babies' attention. Big colored pictures or complex designs will attract their interest and exercise binocular vision. Reaching, touching, and tracking noises are still important for developing hand-eye coordination. Babies will grab objects, instead of swiping at them. They begin moving objects from hand to mouth. Hair and jewelry are easy targets at this age.

By 5 months of age, babies can spot small objects and track movements. Because of depth perception, they will turn objects over to get different perspectives. They begin to recognize pastels and similar color shades.

By 8 months, babies often begin to crawl. This helps babies develop eye-hand-body-foot coordination that is important for walking.

Age 8 to 12 Months
By 8 months, babies begin to see like an adult. Color vision is fully developed. Near vision is better than far vision, but babies can see an object across a room and may be able to crawl to it. They will look around when they hear a noise.

Eight-month-olds can track objects in all directions, including up-and-down. Because of their new awareness of vertical space, babies of this age may fear heights.

Hand-eye coordination improves dramatically. Babies can grasp and throw with much greater accuracy. Fine motor skills begin to develop. As they move into the toddler stage, babies can hold toys between the thumb and forefinger, poke or point at objects with an index finger, or reach behind their back without looking to grab a toy. Building blocks, stacking toys, or very simple puzzles are good for hand-eye coordination at this stage.

Eye color (iris) will have changed by now, although subtle variations may occur.

By 10 months, parents may be able to tell whether their baby is right- or left-handed. At this age, books attract interest. Babies may try to turn pages or grab at pictures.

Ability to judge distances improves continually. By 12 months, babies can grasp and throw things with much greater accuracy and steer a wheel in a car seat or stroller.