A couple were devastated when doctors revealed their newborn daughter could permanently lose her eyesight due to a rare condition. Petru and Natalia Obada are now racing against time to help little Sophia "see the world she lights up".

Petru, 31, and Natalie, 32, are desperately hoping they can swiftly get Sophia to Spain for crucial eyelid surgery, as without it, she risks becoming blind forever.

"When Sophia was born, we had no reason to expect anything unusual... About a week after her birth we noticed something was wrong because Sophia wasn't opening her eyes properly. Her eyelids looked much smaller compared to other babies," Petru said.

Medical experts diagnosed Sophia with Blepharophimosis Ptosis Epicanthus Inversus Syndrome (BPES). BPES is a collection of syndromes that impact the eyelids or eye positioning.

Sophia suffers from Type 1, which has stopped her eyelids from opening completely, limiting her vision and potentially causing permanent sight loss , reports the Mirror.

The parents, from Banbury, Oxfordshire, are desperately trying to raise funds for medical expenses in Spain, travel and accommodation costs, plus medical care for their precious daughter.

Their GoFundMe has already gathered £8,000, but the family are hoping to crowdfund additional money to meet these costs.

Natalia's pregnancy was "perfectly normal," just like her first pregnancy with eldest son David, who is now three and in good health.

Petru, who works as an HS2 engineer, remembered how Sophia failed to open her eyes for several days following her birth. Speaking to the Daily Mail, the father revealed: "After three or four days, I noticed, something wrong with her eyes, and we took her to GP.

"They referred us to a pediatrician. So the doctor confirmed there was a problem, but she admitted she had never seen anything like this before."

Just one in 50 infants receives a BPES diagnosis annually across the UK. Sophia received her diagnosis following referral to specialists at Oxford University Hospital.

Genetic specialists outlined her condition thoroughly, and informed the family regarding the procedure, which would involve attaching little Sophia's eyelid muscles to her eyebrows, providing a more natural and permanent solution and enabling the nine-month-old to see properly for the first time in her life.

However, Petru and Natalia, who remains at home caring for their child, now confront a desperate battle against time as their daughter risks permanent blindness from insufficient light exposure.

Petru added: "We're sure about this. We've heard a lot of good stories and we're dedicated to go there (Spain)."

The pair established the GoFundMe campaign independently and shared photographs of themselves and their daughter on the public fundraising appeal. To contribute to the appeal, click this link.