Anophthalmia

/ˌænɒfˈθælmiə/ noun

Definition

A congenital condition in which a person is born without eyes or with underdeveloped eye tissue; complete absence of one or both eyes.

Etymology

From Greek 'an-' (without) + 'ophthalmos' (eye) + '-ia' (condition). Medical terminology established in the 19th century for describing this rare birth defect.

Kelly Says

Babies with anophthalmia born in developed countries now use sophisticated sensory aids—some can detect light-shadow patterns through specially tuned implants, though true vision restoration remains science fiction.

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