Couple recounts the heartbreaking moment they found out their baby son was born without any eyes

A couple has recounted the shock of learning that their beautiful baby boy is blind after he was born without any eyes.

Nicole Martinez, 25, and her fiancé Kalani Prior, 34, from Albuquerque, New Mexico, were heartbroken to discover that their son Jackson did not have a left eye socket during their 32-week scan.

But it wasn’t until he was born that doctors realized the 7lb 12 oz newborn’s right eye had also failed to develop as it should – leaving him completely blind.  

Heartbreaking: Little Jackson (pictured) was born on April 9 without any eyes 

Shocking news: Nicole Martinez, 25, and her fiancé Kalani Prior, 34, from Albuquerque, New Mexico, discovered their son did not have a left eye socket during their 32-week scan

Shocking news: Nicole Martinez, 25, and her fiancé Kalani Prior, 34, from Albuquerque, New Mexico, discovered their son did not have a left eye socket during their 32-week scan

Jackson was born with Anophthalmia, a medical term for the absence of one or both eyes, and microphthalmia, a developmental disorder where one or both eyes are abnormally small and have anatomic malformations.

Both can be caused by genetic mutations and abnormal chromosomes.   

‘I knew during that scan that something was wrong,’ Nicole said of learning her son did not have a left eye socket. ‘The doctor began to speak to me about Jackson’s orbis and I had no idea what he was talking about.’

‘I finally asked him, “But what does that mean,” and he told me that he didn’t think Jackson had a left eye socket or an eye.

‘It was a really, really sad thing. You go to those appointments and expect them to be happy and to get news like that is difficult,’ the full-time mom recalled. 

Defects: Jackson was born with Anophthalmia, a term for the absence of an eye, and microphthalmia, a developmental disorder where the eye is abnormally small

Defects: Jackson was born with Anophthalmia, a term for the absence of an eye, and microphthalmia, a developmental disorder where the eye is abnormally small

Concern: Kalani said he 'could see in the nurse's eyes that there was something wrong' after Jackson was born via C-section

Concern: Kalani said he 'could see in the nurse's eyes that there was something wrong' after Jackson was born via C-section

Concern: Kalani said he ‘could see in the nurse’s eyes that there was something wrong’ after Jackson was born via C-section 

‘I was by myself, and just didn’t know how I was going to tell Kalani. I didn’t know how to give him that news.’  

After Jackson was born via C-section, Kalani said he ‘could see in the nurse’s eyes that there was something wrong’ while the newborn was getting cleaned up.

‘The nurse, she felt his right eye and even though he had a socket there, she didn’t think he had an eye,’ he recalled. ‘It was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done to go back to that table and tell Nicole that news.

‘All along we thought he would have one good eye, that he would still be able to read, that he would still be able to see the world,’ he said.

‘So having a different reality placed in front of us was really hard to cope with.’

Mistaken: Although the parents knew that Jackson was missing a left eye socket, they thought he would still have one functioning eye 

Mistaken: Although the parents knew that Jackson was missing a left eye socket, they thought he would still have one functioning eye 

Suffering: 'Having a different reality placed in front of us was really hard to cope with,' Kalani admitted

Suffering: 'Having a different reality placed in front of us was really hard to cope with,' Kalani admitted

Suffering: ‘Having a different reality placed in front of us was really hard to cope with,’ Kalani admitted 

Possible cause: Both Anophthalmia and microphthalmia can be caused by genetic mutations and abnormal chromosomes

Possible cause: Both Anophthalmia and microphthalmia can be caused by genetic mutations and abnormal chromosomes

In addition to the eye defects, Jackson was born with an enlarged valve in his heart and was rushed to the NICU as soon as he was delivered on April 9.

Although Jackson’s heart condition resolved itself, doctors at Albuquerque Presbyterian Hospital hope tests will shed some light on why his eyes did not develop in the womb. 

‘The doctors think it could be that he’s missing certain chromosomes so he will be having genetic testing over the next couple of months,’ Kalani explained.  

Now the couple is focused on adjusting to life with a blind baby after they introducing Jackson to his big brothers Michael, 12, and Mason, 14 months, last weekend. 

Looking for answers: Jackson will be having genetic testing over the next couple of months to see if he is missing certain chromosomes

Looking for answers: Jackson will be having genetic testing over the next couple of months to see if he is missing certain chromosomes

Stressful time: Jackson was also born with an enlarged valve in his heart and was rushed to the NICU as soon as he was delivered. However, the heart condition resolved itself

Stressful time: Jackson was also born with an enlarged valve in his heart and was rushed to the NICU as soon as he was delivered. However, the heart condition resolved itself

Stressful time: Jackson was also born with an enlarged valve in his heart and was rushed to the NICU as soon as he was delivered. However, the heart condition resolved itself

Looking to the future: The couple is now focused on adjusting to life with a blind baby, and they have already been in touch with Albuquerque's School for the Blind

Looking to the future: The couple is now focused on adjusting to life with a blind baby, and they have already been in touch with Albuquerque’s School for the Blind

Although they said it was difficult to explain Jackson’s condition to their eldest son, the youngster has been a huge help to his parents. 

‘Michael is such a supportive child and he treats Jackson just the same as his other brother,’ Nicole said. 

‘He had a lot of questions, some of them we don’t have the answer to yet, but he was really excited for us to bring Jackson home last week.’

The parents have already been in touch with Albuquerque’s School for the Blind to prepare for Jackson’s future, and they hope to commence testing to establish if the tot has a genetic condition.

‘I’m a big planner,’ Kalani said. ‘I’ve already arranged to meet with the School for the Blind in Albequeque, it’s important to us to be as prepared as possible.

Family of five: The parents introduced Jackson to his big brothers Michael, 12, and Mason, 14 months, last weekend

Family of five: The parents introduced Jackson to his big brothers Michael, 12, and Mason, 14 months, last weekend

Doting brother: 'Michael is such a supportive child and he treats Jackson just the same as his other brother (pictured),' Nicole said

Doting brother: 'Michael is such a supportive child and he treats Jackson (pictured) just the same as his other brother,' Nicole said

Doting brother: ‘Michael is such a supportive child and he treats Jackson (R) just the same as his other brother (L),’ Nicole said

New normal: Nicole said she and Kalani want to take every step they can to make sure Jackson ahs the best life possible 

New normal: Nicole said she and Kalani want to take every step they can to make sure Jackson ahs the best life possible 

They also have an appointment to meet with doctors to see if Jackson is a candidate for prosthetic eyes, which would help his facial structures develop normally. 

‘I’m a big believer in staying positive, and since he was born, we have made an effort to stay as optimistic and positive as we can,’ Kalani said. 

Nicole admitted that she has been struggling with her emotions, but she is also determined to stay positive.

When Kalani told me Jackson didn’t have his eyes, I just felt really sad for him. I’m so joyful to have a beautiful new baby, but it’s emotional. I go back and forth a lot,’ she explained. 

‘But you know what, he won’t know any different as a baby, and we just want to take every step we can to make sure he has the best life possible and be as positive as we can for him.’



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