Development of contrast sensitivity over the first 3 months of life in the human infant

Contrast sensitivity functions have been obtained for infants aged 5–12 weeks. Sensitivity was derived from fixation preference for static or drifting sinusoidal gratings over a uniform field, assessed by two-alternative forced choice by a “blind” observer. In terms of acuity, extent of the low-frequency cut, and overall sensitivity, there were large differences between the 5-week group and older age groups. This difference in performance may reflect rapid neural development in the visual system over the first 3 months of life.