3-Month-Old Baby Reportedly Blinded After Family Friend Forgets To Turn Camera Flash Off

A recent photo opportunity reportedly took a horrific turn for the worse when a 3-month-old baby reportedly suffered a life-altering injury. According to the Daily Mail, the baby – whose name has not been released – was left blinded in one eye after a family member attempted to snap a quick photo. Although pictures of an adorable newborn baby are not uncommon, apparently, the family member’s flash photograhy has caused permanent eye damage due to the close range in which the photo was taken.

It has been reported that the family member snapped the picture less than 10 feet away from the baby’s eyes and failed to turn the camera’s flash off. The flash feature allegedly contributed to the infant’s impairment. Doctors reportedly stated that the majority of the damage was to the baby’s macula, which is a “small spot near the center of the retina and the part of the eye needed for sharp, central vision,” according to the National Eye Institute.

The baby reportedly now has decreased vision in the left eye, but completely lost sight in the right eye as the macula is not completely developed until a child reaches approximately four years of age, reports Opposing Views.

However, the baby’s reported injury has sparked quite a debate as many readers argue that the dangers of flash photography aren’t exactly supported by factual research. New York’s Orange Regional Medical Center encourages new parents with babies in their Neonatal Intensive Care Unit to take pictures of their newborns, saying “flash cameras are allowed and will not harm your baby.”.

“If this story were true, there would be lots of blind babies out there,” said Dr. Alex Levin, chief of pediatric ophthalmology and ocular genetics at Wills Eye Hospital in Philadelphia, in an interview with Yahoo Parenting.

At this point, further details about the baby’s reported injury are scarce.

[Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images]