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1 results

  • 6 - Visual Development

  • from Part II - Perceptual Development
  • Edited by Jeffrey J. Lockman, Tulane University, Louisiana, Catherine S. Tamis-LeMonda, New York University
  • Book:
    The Cambridge Handbook of Infant Development
    Published online:
    26 September 2020
    Print publication:
    13 August 2020, pp 157-185

  • Summary

    Newborns can see – but only if they are awake with an object right in front of them that is large with elements of high contrast against the background, like the mother’s face. Improvements come rapidly after birth with the maturation of the retina and the visual cortex to which it connects, allowing better input to higher visual areas that underlie the perception of whole objects and their movement. Nevertheless, missing visual input near birth because of dense cataracts in one or both eyes alters the developmental trajectory, even when treatment occurs within the first few months of life. Thus, the early visual input, despite its limitations, is critical for setting up the neural architecture for later refinement.