Sorry grandmas- this just isn’t true! A camera flash doesn’t harm a baby’s vision. Even if that baby is a newborn. There isn’t any evidence that a flash either from a DSLR camera or your phone will damage a newborn’s eyes. In fact, the light that I use as a pediatric ophthalmologist to examine the retinas of preemie babies in the NICU is more sustained and brighter than any flash. The light from a flash is brief and not intense enough to cause damage. In fact, sometimes a camera flash can actually uncover an eye problem with a newborn. If you get a white reflex back instead of red, this could be a sign of a rare eye cancer, called retinoblastoma. And, an asymmetric red eye from flash in your baby’s eyes might mean that they have strabismus (misaligned eyes). So if you notice anything unusual in the photos using a flash, make sure to tell your pediatrician. Bottom line -flash photography is SAFE for newborns. So take those pictures! #flashphotography #newborns #parenting #pediatricophthalmologist #knowtheglow