Smiling Baby Born with No Eyes and Given up for Adoption by Mother Is in Need of a Loving Home and Family

He might not have eyes but that doesn't stop this wonderful baby from simply being happy.

By Esha Iyer

April 6, 2023

Posted April 6, 2023

Editor’s note: This article was originally published on October 17, 2019. It has since been updated.

Every baby is exceptional and this little boy is no exception. Only in his case, his specialty lies in the fact that he's always smiling despite the unfortunate birth defect he was born with.

Alexander K, otherwise known as Sasha, was born in Tomsk, Russia with a rare condition called Anophthalmia, a birth defect wherein the baby is without one or both eyes, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Sasha is one of only three babies suffering from this condition in the world. And he's looking for a home, one that will give him tons of love and affection, according to Metro UK.

Little Sasha was given up for adoption by his mother, whose identity has not been revealed by Siberian media. It is reported that she learned about the rare disability her child would be born with, during a later stage of her pregnancy. Having been raised in an orphanage herself, the mother decided to give him up after realizing that her circumstances would not allow her to give him the special care he requires, as reported by The Siberian Times.

The infant is only one of three known cases for being born with the rare congenital condition. He has two cysts on his head that have been deemed benign and will be removed soon. In addition to this rare condition, doctors say that Sasha is "completely healthy". And this is what makes him unique as most babies born with this condition also suffer other ailments.

"He is no different to other children, he plays and smiles just like any healthy baby," said the nurse who has been looking after Sasha. "He loves playing and adores swimming. He is a very cheerful baby indeed." She recently travelled 2,500 miles with the infant to St Petersburg, where surgeons successfully implanted tiny eye orbs to ensure that his face is not misshapen as he grows up.

Tomsk doctor Tatiana Rudnikovich reassures that the 8-month-old is doing just fine, adding, "Sasha is going through all regular check-ups and tests like any other baby of his age," according to the Daily Mail. It wouldn't come as a surprise if multiple people wanted to bring home this bundle of joy.

Translated, Sasha's adoption page reads "Alexander K., Tomsk region, born in April 2019. Alexander is a peaceful, smiling baby, he smiles back as soon as he hears familiar voices. Mother signed his refusal papers in maternity hospital. There is no information about Alexander’s father and a ‘dash’ in his birth certificate where it should have been a name of the father. Alexander is up for adoption or foster care."

However, this unique baby is initially only up for adoption by Russian parents. In the event that no one comes forward or are suitable, he could go to foreign parents though there are currently limitations to adoptions from US citizens, according to Metro UK. As doctors have diagnosed him with an extreme form of the rare SOX2 anophthalmia syndrome, Sasha will require new prosthetic orbs implanted every six months as he gets older. It would be a big responsibility for anyone who takes him home.

There are only two other cases of babies being born without eyes and the most well-known one is that of 2-year-old Archie Innes who was born to Scottish parents Fiona and Steven Gould who currently reside in Sydney, Australia. Unlike Sasha, Archie suffers from other ailments such as severe gross motor delay, mild-to-moderate hearing impairment, and moderate aspiration.

Here's to hoping little Sasha finds a home where love, support, and happiness are always present.

Loving home needed for unique baby born with no eyes.
Little Sasha is the third registered case in the world but ‘alone in being otherwise completely healthy' https://t.co/PxJoZTWBxA pic.twitter.com/020IUWGbo5
— The Siberian Times (@siberian_times) October 14, 2019