Question
When do newborns start to have vision and hearing? My child has been experiencing this for some time, and as a parent, we are very worried. We hope the doctor can give us some advice.
Answer
Newborns are born with vision, but their vision is poor. Newborn infants have light sensitivity, which is manifested as a blinking response under strong light stimulation. They also respond to changes in light; when bright light is shone into their eyes, their pupils constrict, which is known as the photic reflex. During the neonatal period, they can only see objects within 60 centimeters in front of them, with the most suitable distance being 20 centimeters. If a red plush ball is moved about 20 centimeters in front of the child’s eyes, you can observe that their gaze follows the moving red ball for a distance.