At birth, your newborn can see light and colors and focus on objects that are very close. According to the University of Illinois at Chicago Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, a newborn's vision is approximately 20/400, and slowly improves to 20/20 by age 2. When your baby's eyes become aligned, his vision becomes three-dimensional. The newborn nursery will perform your baby's first eye exam, and a pediatrician will perform an eye exam in the hospital to screen for vision problems or abnormalities.
Blocked Tear Ducts
Your newborn may be born with blocked tear ducts. These blocked tear ducts cause your baby's tears to back up and overflow. When this happens, it may cause eye infections that need to be treated with antibiotics or a surgical procedure to unblock the tear ducts. Your baby's tear ducts should open up normally by the time your baby is 1 years old.
Cataracts
Some newborns are born with cataracts that's characterized by cloudiness over the lens of the eyes that prevents light from passing through. Surgery may be needed if the cataracts are critical. According to the University of Illinois at Chicago Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, "If the cataract is severe, the pupil appears white." Cataracts are usually diagnosed during your baby's newborn screening.
Ptosis
Ptosis occurs when the muscles that raise the upper eyelids do not develop properly. This condition causes your baby's eyelids to droop and partially cover the eyes. Surgery to lift the eyelids may be required if your baby's ptosis is severe.
Crossed Eyes
Some newborns may be born with crossed eyes. This condition is caused by extra folds of skin in the inner corner of the eyes. This extra skin makes your baby's eyes look crossed. Usually this skin tightens with growth and your baby's eyes become even, but sometimes this does not happen and the eyes need to be treated. If your baby's eyes are not treated, it can lead to a problem called lazy eye. Lazy eye forms when one eye is used more than the other and the unused eye becomes weak. To treat lazy eye, an eye doctor may put an eye patch over the strong eye, apply eye drops to the strong eye or prescribe eyeglasses.
Premature Retinopathy
If your baby is born prematurely, the blood vessels in his eyes that supply blood to the retina may not be fully developed or may be abnormal. This condition can cause damage to the inside of your baby's eyes or even cause blindness if left untreated. An eye exam done within the first few weeks of your baby's life can diagnose retinopathy of prematurity.
