Parents thought their baby just hadn't opened her eyes yet - but the truth was sinister

A couple were rocked when doctors told them their newborn could permanently lose her eyesight - as she has a rare disease.

Petru and Natalia Obada are now working around the clock to allow little Sophia "see the world she lights up". Petru, 31, and Natalie, 32, hope they can quickly take Sophia to Spain for specialist eyelid surgery as, without it, she may become blind forever.

"When Sophia was born, we had no reason to expect anything unusual... About a week after her birth we noticed something was wrong because Sophia wasn't opening her eyes properly. Her eyelids looked much smaller compared to other babies," Petru said.

Doctors diagnosed Sophia with Blepharophimosis Ptosis Epicanthus Inversus Syndrome (BPES). BPES is a group of syndromes that affect the eyelids or eye placement.

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Sophia has Type 1, which has prevented her eyelids from fully opening, restricting her vision and potentially leading to permanent sight loss. So, her parents, from Banbury, Oxfordshire, hope to raise money for medical costs in Spain, travel and accommodation and medical support for their little one. Their GoFundMe has already raised £8,000 but the family hope to crowdfund more to cover these expenses.

Natalia's pregnancy was "perfectly normal," similar to her first one for eldest child David, who is now three and healthy. Petru, who is a HS2 engineer, recalled how Sophia did not open her eyes for days after she was born.

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Speaking to the Daily Mail, the dad said: "After three or four days, I noticed, something wrong with her eyes, and we took her to GP. They referred us to a pediatrician. So the doctor confirmed there was a problem, but she admitted she had never seen anything like this before."

Only one in 50 babies is diagnosed with BPES every year in the UK. Sophia was diagnosed after she was referred to specialists at Oxford University Hospital. Genetic experts explained her condition in detail, and told the family about the operation, which would see little Sophia's eyelid muscles get attached to her eyebrows, allowing for a more natural and more permanent fix and meaning the nine-month-old would be able to see properly for the first time in her life.

But now Petru and Natalia, who is a stay-at-home mum, face a race against time because their daughter could be left permanently blind due to a lack of exposure to light. Petru continued: "We're sure about this. We've heard a lot of good stories and we're dedicated to go there (Spain)."

The couple made the GoFundMe themselves and uploaded pictures of themselves and their daughter on the public appeal. To donate to the appeal, click this link.