Mehlani Dickerson, 2, has Axenfeld-Rieger syndrome and as a result, she has big beautiful eyes.
This rare genetic condition has given her the attractively large eyes that people often praise.
As stated by the Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center, Axenfeld-Rieger syndrome is an eye condition although it can cause issues with the teeth and distinctive facial features.
Karina, Mehlani’s mum talked about the disorder and the issues her daughter had early in life. She said that her daughter was diagnosed with this rare genetic disorder when she was only a week old. Her iris didn’t form correctly when she was in the womb resulting in the formation of a giant black pupil for an eye.
Karina said that her daughter was later detected with glaucoma as well. Glaucoma is a medical disorder that affects the eyesight. Although Mehlani can see perfectly right now, her eyesight may diminish over time.
Karina is worried that her little munchkin will be bullied later due to the deformed eyes. She said that she gets so nervous thinking about her daughter starting school because you know kids can sometimes be mean.
She said that whenever they go out, people compliments on how beautiful her eyes are. The worried mother refrains from mentioning the defect.
Karina said that her daughter has gone through a lot and she fears when she grows up and start school. She worries over the fact that how quickly other people notice differences. She fears what if other kids are mean to her or pick on her because of her eyes.
Karina has never told anyone about her condition unless they come asking. She said that she is happy to tell them about her rare genetic condition.
She wants to raise awareness about conditions like this, as they are so unpredictable and goes unrecognized most often.
However, Karina got the response she wasn’t expecting when she posted her daughter’s picture online. Her post was met with a wave of positive comments and support from all over the world.
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