EYES
You’ll likely spend a lot of time looking into
your newborn’s eyes. Here are some things you
may notice:
■ Eye color: Babies aren’t born with their final eye color. Eyes at birth are usually grayishblue in Caucasian infants and grayish-brown in infants of darker-skinned races. Pigment is slowly distributed to the eye and produces the final eye color of the baby by 6-12 months.
■ Sclera: The sclera (whites of the eyes) may have a bluish tint in the normal newborn because the membranes surrounding the eyeball are still very thin. If the baby is jaundiced, the sclera may appear yellow.
■ Tear ducts: The tear ducts in a newborn are small and do not function at birth. Tears are usually not produced with crying until the baby is 1 to 3 months old.
■ Cross-eye: Many newborns appear to have cross-eye because the upper eyelids of the newborn often show folds. This—in combination with the wide, flat bridge of the nose—can create an illusion of the baby having cross-eye. The illusion can be tested by looking at the reflection in the baby’s pupils to see if both eyes are focused on the same object. This condition tends to disappear with further development of the facial structures.
■ Uncoordinated eye movements: Uncoordinated eye movements are common in newborns. At times, it might seem that the eyes are operating independently. This is normal. Coordination of eye movements gradually occurs as the nerves and muscles of the eye develop. Fairly good eye coordination is usually apparent by the third or fourth month. In newborns, random and jerky movements are also normal.
■ Closed eyes: In addition to sleeping, a number of things can cause your baby to close his eyes—including bright lights, loud noises, and touching the eyelids, eyelashes, or eye.
■ Subconjunctival hemorrhage: One of the common results of birth may be the breaking of a small blood vessel on the white area (sclera) of the eye, creating a bright red spot. This bright red spot is called a subconjunctival hemorrhage. It is caused by a sudden increase in pressure in the eye as the baby passes through the birth canal. Since the blood is usually absorbed within 7 to 10 days, you can be reassured that the red spot is temporary and not a cause for worry.
Your newborn baby can focus best at a distance of 8-14 inches—about the distance from her eyes to yours as you nurse or feed her. Babies also notice movement, light, patterns, and shapes. And as the first weeks go by, their ability to see and to focus improves.
■ Eye color: Babies aren’t born with their final eye color. Eyes at birth are usually grayishblue in Caucasian infants and grayish-brown in infants of darker-skinned races. Pigment is slowly distributed to the eye and produces the final eye color of the baby by 6-12 months.
■ Sclera: The sclera (whites of the eyes) may have a bluish tint in the normal newborn because the membranes surrounding the eyeball are still very thin. If the baby is jaundiced, the sclera may appear yellow.
■ Tear ducts: The tear ducts in a newborn are small and do not function at birth. Tears are usually not produced with crying until the baby is 1 to 3 months old.
■ Cross-eye: Many newborns appear to have cross-eye because the upper eyelids of the newborn often show folds. This—in combination with the wide, flat bridge of the nose—can create an illusion of the baby having cross-eye. The illusion can be tested by looking at the reflection in the baby’s pupils to see if both eyes are focused on the same object. This condition tends to disappear with further development of the facial structures.
■ Uncoordinated eye movements: Uncoordinated eye movements are common in newborns. At times, it might seem that the eyes are operating independently. This is normal. Coordination of eye movements gradually occurs as the nerves and muscles of the eye develop. Fairly good eye coordination is usually apparent by the third or fourth month. In newborns, random and jerky movements are also normal.
■ Closed eyes: In addition to sleeping, a number of things can cause your baby to close his eyes—including bright lights, loud noises, and touching the eyelids, eyelashes, or eye.
■ Subconjunctival hemorrhage: One of the common results of birth may be the breaking of a small blood vessel on the white area (sclera) of the eye, creating a bright red spot. This bright red spot is called a subconjunctival hemorrhage. It is caused by a sudden increase in pressure in the eye as the baby passes through the birth canal. Since the blood is usually absorbed within 7 to 10 days, you can be reassured that the red spot is temporary and not a cause for worry.
Your newborn baby can focus best at a distance of 8-14 inches—about the distance from her eyes to yours as you nurse or feed her. Babies also notice movement, light, patterns, and shapes. And as the first weeks go by, their ability to see and to focus improves.
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