La vue des bébés

What do babies actually see? Whether you are a parent or not, you have surely wondered how a newborn sees and if he perceives all the elements of his visual field . We all know the expression « looking at life through the eyes of children », so Ophtalmologie Express has deciphered for you what « seeing through the eyes of children » really was.

Since vision is the least developed sense at birth, a newborn’s sight changes greatly from 0 to 12 months. We notice from the 17th week of pregnancy the appearance of the eyes of the fetus ^and it is from the 7th ^month of pregnancy that the baby will open them for the first time. From then on, it will react to the strong light exposures of its mother’s womb.

From birth to first month

The concrete development of the baby’s sight takes place from birth. From his first day and up to a month, his vision is blurred and his visual field is reduced. The perception of colors is imprecise, the newborn only distinguishes the differences in color intensity, not the color itself.

From one month

The baby’s visual field expands and he gradually perceives color pigments (at first only red and green). His vision is clearer, he now sees up to 30 cm around him and much clearer!

3 to 4 months

His visual acuity has greatly developed, the baby now distinguishes shapes and a wider range of colors . This is due to the adjustment of the lens which is done more easily and to the formation of the cones which make it possible to discern more colors.

4 to 6 months

The baby can distinguish between lighter and darker shades and their depth perception improves. It can now see how far away an object is and grab those within range, including your hair.

From 7 to 8 months

Babies can recognize people and objects in a room. He can quickly follow objects with his eyes and pick them up, put them in his mouth, and point at them. His attention is focused on objects close to him, and his vision does not yet allow him to see objects far from him. He may also start mimicking your facial expressions.

From 9 to 10 months

Your baby’s vision is now close to that of an adult, and he should be able to stare, follow objects with his eyes, recognize his parents from further away, pick up objects and put them in his mouth. His eye color is pretty much the latest, except for a shade or two.

From 11 to 12 months

As they approach one year, babies’ vision is as clear as that of adults. He can now pick up very small objects away from him, point to them or ask for them. He should be able to quickly follow objects and grasp them with his thumb and forefinger. He can now judge from a distance and recognize people he knows.

In conclusion

Infant vision improves rapidly during the first year of life. Some cells in the center of the retina, called cones, become more mature. Thus, the baby can tolerate more light and the pupils can dilate. Therefore, the child can distinguish more kinds of light intensities.

This article piqued your curiosity and you want to see more? Here you will find a tool allowing you to see the evolution of an infant’s vision!

Ophthalmology Express suggestions:

Nos Sources :