Do bears have very poor eyesight?
Bears actually can see fairly well at least as well as humans. Polar bears have the best vision with special adaptations that allow them to see underwater and to filter snow glare. The eyes of an American black bear are small, round, widely spaced, and forward facing. American black bears have color vision and seem particularly sensitive to blue and green wavelengths. They may even be sensitive to red if this is true, then black bears would have the same color vision that humans do. The ability to see colors probably helps them find food, since much of their diet consists of colored berries and fruits. They also have binocular vision that allows for good depth perception. However, they are nearsighted, so they have difficulty distinguishing objects at a distance. Nearsightedness probably is an advantage as they forage close to the ground, and it also is responsible for their ability to see moving objects far better than stationary ones. Cubs are born with blue eyes which change to brow
