Baby Born Without Eyes At Arizona Hospital

Nearly three-month-old Richie Lopez is like most other infants his age, except that he was born without eyeballs-a rather rare condition known as Anophthalmia in which the eye tissue is completely absent.

"I think we were just in shock. Obviously very upsetting," she Kelly Lopez, his mother, via .3TV "The first thought through your mind is, how did this even happen and how was it not even caught?"

The baby was born in Mesa, Arizona. Lopez had a normal pregnancy and no complications at the time. Even an ultrasound failed to detect the problem with her son's eyes.

However, 13 days after birth, an MRI properly diagnosed the problem. Richie has already been enrolled in programs for blind babies and can be seen wearing baby sunglasses now to protect his condition.

His parents are hopeful that in the future, their son might one day see. Doctors found that he does have an optic nerve.

The case is also similar to a baby born in Denver, Colorado, last year who was diagnosed with the same condition.

Officials are working to correct the health issue.

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