Short answer: Newborns see best at close range — about the distance to your face when you hold them — and their sight develops quickly over the first months. Hearing is well developed at birth, and in the UK every baby is offered a newborn hearing test. Squints that come and go are common in the first three months; see a GP if a squint is constant or continues after three months. Get your baby's eyes checked promptly if you notice a white or unusual reflection in the pupil, for example in flash photos. Contact your health visitor or GP if your baby doesn't seem to respond to sounds or doesn't make eye contact.
Your baby looks past you, at the ceiling, at the window. And you wonder whether they can actually see you.
Sight in the first year
- Newborn: sees best at close range and is drawn to faces and strong contrasts.
- Around 2 months: follows faces and moving objects, and begins to make eye contact and smile.
- 3 to 6 months: tracks objects more smoothly, discovers their hands, reaches for toys. By 6 months, according to the CDC, most babies reach to grab a toy they want.
- 9 to 12 months: looks for objects that drop out of sight, recognises familiar faces across a room, and picks up small things.
Squints
A squint is when the eyes point in different directions. The NHS says squints that come and go are common in babies under three months and are not usually a cause for concern. See a GP if your child is older than three months and has a squint, whether it comes and goes or is there all the time. It's important not to ignore a squint, as it can affect how vision develops; rarely, it can be a sign of an eye condition such as retinoblastoma.
Hearing
Babies can hear before they're born, and recognise familiar voices early on. In the UK, a newborn hearing test is offered in the first weeks, often before leaving hospital. Many other countries offer similar screening.
- Newborn: startles at sudden loud noises, calms to familiar voices.
- Around 4 to 6 months: turns towards sounds and voices, takes turns making sounds with you.
- Around 9 months: looks when you call their name and makes lots of babbling sounds.
- Around 12 to 15 months: understands simple words and follows simple directions with gestures.
Talking and singing to a baby who can't answer yet feels odd — and it's some of the most important input there is.
When to get eyes checked
- Promptly: a white or unusual reflection in the pupil, for example in flash photographs.
- A squint after three months, or one that appears suddenly.
- No eye contact or interest in faces by around three months.
- Eyes that flicker or wobble constantly.
- Constantly watery or repeatedly sticky eyes.
When to get hearing checked
- No startle at loud noises.
- Not turning towards sounds, or not responding to their name by around 9 months.
- Babbling that stops, or very few sounds.
- Frequent ear infections — fluid behind the eardrum (glue ear) can muffle hearing and slow speech. See ear infections in children.
You don't have to wait for the next routine check. Contact your health visitor or GP whenever you're concerned. In the UK, children's eye tests at opticians are free.
Related reading
Month by month: The First Year (PDF, English) guides you through your baby's first twelve months.
Sources
- NHS — Squint and Retinoblastoma.
- NHS — Newborn hearing test and Eye tests in children.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention — Developmental milestones.
- Childhood Eye Cancer Trust — Signs of retinoblastoma.
Written by the Bloom Guides editorial team. Last updated: 20 October 2026. General information only — not a substitute for advice from your health visitor, GP or optometrist.