Sofia Allen age 8, of Port Matilda, was diagnosed at age three with Autosomal Dominant Optic Atrophy, a condition that affects the optic nerves. It causes reduced visual acuity and is a contributing factor of blindness and vision loss during childhood. This condition affects each person differently and there is no cure. At Sofia’s initial eye exam her eyesight was 20/150. Less than a year later, her eyesight changed to 20/400 and she is now legally blind.
At her home in Port Matilda, Sofia uses a computer that magnifies the print on the pages of a book. / Photo by Georgianna DeCarmine
Mila Allen, 5, left, and her sister, Sofia, wear costumes to go trick or treating for Halloween on Tuesday, Oct. 31, 2017.
/ Photo by Georgianna DeCarmine
Mila, Sofia and their mother, Lindsey Allen, watch her husband and their father, Adam Allen, carve a pumpkin on Tuesday, Oct. 24. Mila was disgusted when Adam scraped the seeds from inside the pumpkin. / Photo by Georgianna DeCarmine
Sofia’s vision teacher, Jen Whitcamp, teaches her how to read Braille during reading time for her second grade class at Gray’s Woods Elementary School on Friday, Dec. 1. Sofia has been learning Braille since kindergarten to prepare for the possibility of becoming permanently blind. / Photo by Georgianna DeCarmine
Sofia closes her eyes so she can recognize the letters during her Braille lesson with her vision teacher on Friday, Dec.1. / Photo by Georgianna DeCarmine
Sofia hugs her sister, Mila, outside their home in Port Matilda on Tuesday, Sept. 11, 2017. / Photo by Georgianna DeCarmine
Sofia trick or treats with her family and neighbors on Halloween in Port Matilda. / Photo by Georgianna DeCarmine
Sofia eats a waffle as her mom, Lindsey, braids her hair before school on Monday, Sept. 25, 2017. / Photo by Georgianna DeCarmine
Lindsey assists Sofia with tying her shoes before they leave for school on Monday, Sept. 25, 2017. / Photo by Georgianna DeCarmine
Sofia anxiously sits in her seat as she waits for the rest of the children to meet with the priests during their first Sacrament of Reconciliation at Good Shepherd Catholic Church in State College on Friday, Dec. 1, 2017. / Photo by Georgianna DeCarmine
Sofia meets privately with the priest as she receives the Sacrament of Reconciliation for the first time at Good Shepherd Catholic Church on Friday, Dec. 1, 2017. In the Altoona-Johnstown diocese, second grade is the first time Catholics can confess their sins to a priest which they can forgiven by God. / Photo by Georgianna DeCarmine
Sofia examines a chocolate chip cookie sandwich she's eating on Tuesday, Oct. 17, 2017. / Photo by Georgianna DeCarmine
