Understanding your baby's vision development can help you create a stimulating environment that is just right for their current stage. Let's explore a general timeline for how vision progresses.

Your newborn can see objects and faces about 8-12 inches in front of them, but things are blurry. In the first month or so, they'll prefer high-contrast, black-and-white imagery because it's easier for their developing eyes to focus on. It's best to start with simple patterns, like basic shapes or lines, before moving into more complex, busy patterns.

By about 8 weeks, they'll be able to see your face much more clearly.

Around two months old, your baby may show interest in following an object with their eyes. This is called visual tracking. You can support visual tracking skills by displaying mobiles above their wakeful spaces or holding an object in their line of sight and moving it side to side.

By around 3 to 4 months, it'll be easier to distinguish colors and focus on complex patterns. Their eyes will also work together better than before, and they'll start to engage in hand-eye coordination by tracking objects and batting them with their hands.

By around 5 months old, depth perception, color vision, and the ability to see in three dimensions kick in more fully, just in time for your baby to start exploring their surroundings with increased mobility. Your baby's vision is still not comparable to yours but will have improved significantly since birth.

This general timeline is not one-size-fits-all. Each baby is unique and may progress at different rates, and your baby's vision will continue to develop throughout the first few years. If you have any concerns about vision development, consult with your pediatrician.