Although a newborn can see, she isn't born knowing how to use her eyes or how to interpret images. It's normal for a child not to see at a distance or to have crossed eyes up until 3 months of age. However, signs of a visually impaired infant may appear at any age, so you should be on the lookout for them. This is especially true if there is a family history of vision problems.
Tracking
An infant who is even a few weeks old but less than 3 months normally responds to lights or moving objects such as hanging mobiles. Lack of response may indicate a visual impairment. After 3 months an infant should be able to track motion fairly well. For example, he should be able to follow a moving object moving back and forth in his field of vision. A tendency to tilt the head and look at objects from an angle or an apparent inability to focus on objects close at hand may also indicate vision problems.
Discomfort
Infants with vision problems are likely to experience discomfort when trying to see. Frequent tearing and redness of the eyes can be clues your infant is having trouble seeing. Another indicator is frequent rubbing of the eyes. However, you should not overreact. Nearly all infants will show these signs at some point. The thing to watch for is frequent occurrences.
Appearance
A constantly droopy eyelid is a sign of possible vision problems, as is keeping one eye closed most of the time. By 3 months a child's eyes should move together and look much the same. If the eyes move in different directions or otherwise look or move differently from each other, this is a sign of possible vision problems.
Symptoms
Some signs can be warnings not of an existing vision impairment but of a medical condition that may threaten the infant's vision. Prompt treatment can often prevent permanent damage. These symptoms include discharge of pus or crusting of one or both eyes in addition to persistent redness and tearing. Whitish to yellowish material in the pupil is another trouble sign. Bulging eyes or a sudden change in appearance are also warning signs.
