Children are able to see as soon as they are born.
However, the vision of a newborn is poorly developed. For the visual system to develop properly, children need both eyes to see clearly and send input to the brain. Crossed eyes can interfere with this normal development of the visual system. Examining very young children can help doctors recognize and treat problems early, which is especially advisable if parents or the child's doctor feels that there may be some problems or if there is a family history of eye problems. Children's eyes can be examined completely at any age, even at one day of life.