Baby born with rare disorder may never open his eyes as parents must wait for him to say what he can see

When Lucas Hammond didn't open his eyes straight after he was born, his parents weren't too worried.
But doctors were baffled when, a day later, they still couldn't prise his eyes open. It was the start of a long journey to find out whether Lucas will ever be able to see.
Specialists found that he was born with bilateral microphthalamia, a disorder meaning the eyes are too small after not forming fully during pregnancy, and cannot be opened properly. 

Lucas Hammond, pictured with his mother Ashleigh, suffers a rare condition which means he cannot open his eyes

His parents Ashleigh Knox and Dave Hammond were distraught when doctors at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Gateshead told the couple their son could be blind.
Ashleigh, 22, of Birtley, Gateshead, said: 'Sometimes babies do not open their eyes at first so we didn't think anything of it.
'The next day a paediatrician came round and they could not prise his eyes open and referred him to a consultant who said there was something wrong, but he had never seen it before and told us he was going to be blind.'
Lucas was examined at Newcastle's Royal Victoria Infirmary and diagnosed with the condition at eight days old.
'We just could not believe it,' Ashleigh said.
'When they told us he would be blind Dave cried and he never cries.'

Blind? Specialists are not yet sure if Lucas Hammond follows light or noise in tests

Ashleigh and Dave will have to wait until Lucas can talk before they know the extent of the condition.
Ashleigh said: 'They said it would be a long road. We do not know how much he will see. The vision impairment team can only work with him.
'At the moment he follows light from left to right and he can see bright
colours because the team shine lights on his eyes. But we do not know if he is following light or noise.
'It's a waiting game now. You expect answers straight away and with other
conditions you know what to expect, but it is all up in the air.
'At first it was overwhelming. He only learned to smile a month ago and it was hard seeing other babies smiling and laughing.'
Since the diagnosis, Ashleigh has become involved with the Micro and
Anopthalamic Childrens Society (MACS) which supports families in their
position.
She said: 'I met a woman who has two children who both have it and she was from the Micro and Anopthalamic Childrens Society (MACS).
'They are five and seven and it was good to see how they are further down the line. We are just waiting to find out.'