Anne Hathaway has revealed for the first time that she spent a decade half-blind, a health condition she kept largely private until a recent podcast appearance brought it into the open.
Speaking on New York Times Popcast On April 22, the 43-year-old actress told hosts Jon Caramanica and Joe Coscarelli that she developed an early-onset cataract in her left eye between the ages of 30 and 40, which left her with such severely impaired vision that she was legally blind in that eye for the duration.
“Maybe that’s too much information,” she said before jumping in. “I was half blind for 10 years.”
Cataracts, a clouding of the lens that usually affects older people, are not uncommon in younger patients, although early-onset cases are considerably rarer.
For Hathaway, this condition meant that her left eye was functioning at a level meeting the legal definition of blindness, and she only fully understood how serious it had become once she underwent surgery to correct it.
“I didn’t realize how serious the situation was until I was finally able to see the full spectrum,” she said.
The experience had also had discreet but significant consequences on his well-being.
“I didn’t realize it was really putting a strain on my nervous system,” she added. “Since then, I have calmed down.”
This revelation gave him a lasting feeling of gratitude for his sight.
“I enjoy the vision because it literally feels like every day I wake up and see what I’m doing, it’s a miracle,” she said.
“I actually think, ‘Oh, two generations ago this wouldn’t have been an option for someone like me.’ So, I really feel very connected to this kind of miracle. »
