The develpment of infant vision

Infant Sight at Birth

At birth, infants really cannot see very well at all. If you were able to measure it, your newborns sight would only be about 20/400. Over the next weeks and months, a baby's eyesight is steadily improving though some babies will not achieve 20/20 vision until they are about 2 years old.
Early Newborn Vision

A newborn can focus best on objects about 1 foot from their eyes. Newborns have about a 90 degree range of vision and can see in color but do not necessarily distinguish all colors clearly. However by one to two weeks, infants can already begin to recognize features of their mothers face.

As their vision develops, infants show preference for certain bold patterns like stripes. Babies prefer bold colors and patterns because it is easier for them to see high contrast objects.
Vision at 6-8 Weeks

By 6 to 8 weeks, babies can fix their gaze on an object and follow moving objects too. At about 4 months, infants develop coordination between both eyes, which allows them to perceive depth and learn about spatial relationships. Once they can see more clearly, babies will begin batting at objects and reaching for toys that are within their field of vision.
Infant Vision Concerns

If you notice your baby's eyes seem to move independently or become crossed after 4 months you should request an examination from your doctor. This may be caused by a condition known as strabismus wherein the eyes do not align properly.
Fully Developed Baby Vision

In many babies, vision is fully developed by the time they are 6 months old. At this point they can distinguish colors clearly and focus on objects both far and near.
Focus and Tracking: Newborn babies have peripheral vision (the ability to see to the sides) and in the first weeks of life gradually develop the ability to focus on an object or point in front of them. At one month, a baby can focus briefly on objects up to three feet away.

By two months, infants are also able to track (follow) moving objects, as their visual coordination and depth perception improves. By three months they also have the hand/arm control needed to bat at nearby moving objects. If a baby's eyes are not working together to focus and track objects by three months of age, a pediatrician should be consulted.

Distance vision continues to develop in the early months. By four months a baby may smile when they see a parent across a room, and they can see objects outside when looking through a window.

 
Light and Images: At birth, babies are very sensitive to bright light, so their pupils remain constricted to limit the light coming into the eyes. After about two weeks, the pupils begin to enlarge and babies can see a range of shades of light and dark. As the retinas (the light-sensitive tissue inside the eye) develop, the ability to see and recognize patterns improves. High contrast images like black-and-white pictures, bull's eyes or very simple face shapes are most likely to attract babies' attention in the early weeks.

The human face is always babies' favorite image. When someone holds a baby, he or she will look intently at the person's face, especially the eyes. As the baby's visual span increases in the first month, he/she will be able to see the person's whole face and will be much more responsive to facial expressions.

Color Vision: Babies' color vision matures at about the same rate as the other visual abilities. At one month, they are sensitive to the brightness or intensity of color and will look longer at bold colors and contrasting patterns than at lighter tones. By about four months babies can differentiate and respond to the full range and shades of colors.