Anophthalmia

Anophthalmia is a rare disorder that affects an unknown exact number of people. It is believed to affect approximately 1 in every 10,000 live births.

A baby can be born with this disorder or it can be diagnosed later in life. Anophthalmia means that the globe and eye tissue of the orbit are missing. It can affect one eye or both, which would result in blindness for the individual.

The disorder can occur from a genetic disorder or mutation, chromosome abnormality or prenatal factor. Because eye sockets are important for proper development of the face, a prosthetic device may be needed if an eye is missing or is too small.

All children that are affected by this condition should see an eye specialist for further treatments and recommendations regarding surgery and prosthetic fittings.