In the last two decades there has been a considerable increase in the understanding of visual maturation in the young infant and it has been possible to develop methods for testing visual function that are applicable in the neonatal period and early infancy. Several studies have reported that various aspects of visual function, such as visual acuity, visual fields and optokinetic nystagmus are often impaired in infants with brain lesions of antenatal and perinatal onset. We report our experience with such infants and a more general review of the literature on the maturation of visual function in the first years after birth in normal and brain damaged children.