A Baby Without Eyes: A Family's Powerful Story from the UK

A recent heart-touching story from the UK: During a routine ultrasound scan, 24-year-old Danielle Davis was told that the baby she was carrying has anophthalmia syndrome and would be born without eyes. "We were in shock. We had never heard of the syndrome, and none of our friends or family knew of it either," recalls Davis, who resides in South Wales, UK. 

The Davis family. Below: baby Daisy

Anophthalmia (a condition where a person is born without one or both eyes) is relatively rare, occurring in about 1 in every 10,000 births. Baby Daisy Davis is among them. Yet, incredibly, the Davis couple was not deterred by the grim news and refused to consider an abortion, as was suggested. "People often don't know what to say when they see her," they explain, adding, "But she’s our child, a wonderful baby, and we don’t regret not opting for an abortion." The young parents emphasized their commitment to provide Daisy with as normal a life as possible, offering her opportunities just like other children.

Does medicine offer any solutions for anophthalmia? In the coming weeks, Daisy is scheduled to undergo prosthetic eye implants (yes, it’s a thing) that will give her face a more 'natural' appearance. When she turns one and a half, these prosthetics will be replaced with new ones, though they will not bestow her with vision. 

Anophthalmia. A syndrome where individuals are born without one or both eyes