What was intended to be the capturing of a happy milestone turned out to be in hindsight a dramatic revelation for two parents.

Mom Amanda Burritt took to TikTok and Instagram to share that the adorable moment her toddler celebrated another year round the sun was also the heart-wrenching moment she realized her daughter was blind.

The video, which has since garnered nine million views, shows Amanda’s toddler Emma smiling gleefully as her parents serenaded her with a joyous rendition of happy birthday.

The youngster appeared to be responsive to her parents voices, smiling up at them.

However when her parents said, ‘That’s for you!’ pointing at the cake below, Emma’s eye contact upwards didn’t falter, failing to respond to where her parents repeatedly tapped the plate sitting directly in front of her.

The toddler bore a perplexed facial expression as she struggled to grasped for the plate whilst still looking up.

And it was in that moment that ‘reality set in that Emma was likely blind,’ Amanda wrote in the now-viral clip.

Viewers seem to be particularly touched by the bittersweet moment as they swarmed the comment sections with sympathy.

‘Her reaching for her cake broke me. She will give you strength as you are giving it to her. So much love your way mama. All the love,’ one heartfelt user wrote.

Another similarly empathetic user gushed, ‘You are the greatest parents. Wishing you all the love and joy in the world.’

However some users were fast to question such a late discovery of her blindness.

One user penned: ‘Every single second with her and THIS was your sign? The faster you put your own feelings aside, the faster she can get help’

‘I’m surprised her pediatrician didn’t notice way before this,’ another wrote.

In a comment, the mother explained that Emma, now six, was not born blind but rather has a ‘degenerative genetic disease.’

‘We have done literally everything possible to help her thrive including moving provinces, travelling the world for the best therapy, bringing her to different hospitals for multiple opinions etc. All while giving her the best/most fun life possible,’ she wrote.

She then informed the platform of a even more devastating update to the now-six-year-old’s diagnosis.

‘Unfortunately Emma’s disease not only stole her ability to see but also to walk and talk,’ she continued.

‘She has optic nerve atrophy so her optic nerves are permanently damaged. I’m hopeful in the future there can be something to help regenerate it but currently there is not.’

Optic nerve atrophy is the irreversible damage and degeneration of the optic nerve, which carries visual information from the eye to the brain.

According to expert knowledge at Cleveland clinic and the National Library of Medicine disease progression is rapid, resulting in increasing visual impairment and corresponding progressive cognitive decline.

However Emma’s infectious persona and radiating warmth showcased in since TikToks is clear to all, as her mom continues using her platform to capture special heartwarming moments between Emma and her family, including her most recent string of posts showing Emma using a contraption that enables her to walk.

The proud caption reads: ‘She surprises us every single day.’

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Parents capture heartbreaking moment they realized their toddler was blind