Loving home needed for unique baby born with no eyes

The loving and responsive little boy - full name Alexander K - was born in Tomsk in April.

His young mother learned about the rare and difficult disability at late stage of pregnancy and decided that in her circumstances she was not able to care for him. 

Her name was not revealed by the local media in western Siberia, although is it known that she went through an orphanage herself and did not feel able to give her son all the help he would need. 

So far Russian doctors see no other impairments in baby Sasha’s development, describing him as ‘completely healthy’. 

This makes him unique, we were told. 

'He is no different to other children, he plays and smiles just like any healthy baby. He loves playing and adores swimming, he is a very cheerful baby indeed!' Pictures: Valery Kasatkin

So far the only other issue detected was two benign cysts on his forehead which soon will be removed. 

Tomsk doctor Tatiana Rudnikovich: ‘Sasha is going through all regular check ups and tests like any other baby of his age.

‘He is doing well.’ 

The closest person to baby Sasha is a female nurse from Tomsk specialised children orphanage (pictured). 

She was the one who recently took him to St Petersburg where doctors successfully implanted tiny eye orbs to ensure that his face does not grow deformed. 

‘He is no different to other children, he plays and smiles just like any healthy baby. He loves playing and adores swimming, he is a very cheerful baby indeed’, the nurse said.  

Baby Sasha with a nurse at Tomsk specialised children orphanage. Pictures: Valery Kasatkin

Sasha will need to have new prosthetic orbs - each time a little bigger than previously - implanted every six months.

As for now, doctors say there is no chance that he will ever see. 

There are only two other cases of babies born without eyes registered in the world. 

The most well-documented is ‘miracle’ baby Archie Innes from the United Kingdom.

Archie, two, was born to Scottish parents Fiona and Steven Gould who currently live in Sydney, Australia. 

His mother was told about Archie’s SOX2 anophthalmia syndrome 31 weeks into her pregnancy, say reports. 

The syndrome affects one in quarter of a million people worldwide and means babies are born either without eyeballs, or only very tiny ones. 

In Archie’s case, he also has severe gross motor delay, mild-to-moderate hearing impairment, and moderate aspiration.

Baby Archie, 2, pictured during his parents' wedding. Picture: The Scottish Sun

Translated from Sasha’s adoption page: 

'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.'

UPDATED: Dear all, 

Many thanks for your kind comments and interest in little Sasha.

Please see contacts for the Family and Children Department of Tomsk region, we believe they are the first ones to be phoned/emailed. 

Chief of department is Margarita Shapareva, their address is 72 Tverskaya street, Tomsk; phone number is +7 3822 71-39-98, email dep-sem@tomsk.gov.ru

This is the link to Sasha's profile: http://www.usynovite.ru/child/?id=cknko-w5c0

Sasha is initially up for adoption with Russian parents, but if no-one suitable comes forward, he will go to foreign parents.

Currently there are restrictions to adoptions to the US. 

This is the link to all relevant administrative bodies you might later need to inquire about Sasha  -  sadly it is only in Russian: http://www.usynovite.ru/contacts/?region=73 

Hoping this helps, 

With best wishes from Siberia,

Team The Siberian Times

Baby Sasha was born in Tomsk (pictured below) in April 2019