Anne Hathaway Was Effectively Blind in Her Left Eye for a Decade

Anne Hathaway recently made headlines after revealing that she lived with near-total vision loss in her left eye for a decade before undergoing successful surgery, Fox News reported on May 25.

During an appearance on a The New York Times podcast, The Devil Wears Prada 2 star shared that she developed early-onset cataracts in her early 30s, a condition that persisted into her 40s. “This is probably a bit TMI, but I was effectively blind in one eye for 10 years,” Hathaway disclosed.

Anne Hathaway Opens Up About Her Health The 1982-born actress explained that the condition severely impacted her vision, to the point where her left eye was considered “legally blind” by medical standards. Eventually, she decided to undergo surgery to correct her vision. “I didn’t realize how bad things were until I could see the full spectrum of colors normally again,” she added.

According to the Cleveland Clinic, “legal blindness” is a term used to define severe visual impairment. A person is considered legally blind when their central visual acuity is 20/200 or worse even with corrective lenses, or if their visual field is significantly restricted.

The actress noted that following the surgery, she experienced a profound sense of mental and neurological relief: “I’ve been so much calmer since then. I didn’t realize how much tension that was actually putting on my nervous system.”

According to the Mayo Clinic, cataracts are a clouding of the eye’s natural lens, making vision appear blurry or hazy, akin to looking through a frosted window. The condition can make it difficult to read, drive at night, or discern facial expressions.

Today, Hathaway views the ability to see clearly every day as a miracle: “I am truly grateful for my eyesight. I think if I had lived two generations ago, someone like me probably wouldn’t have had the opportunity to be cured.”

Beyond her health journey, Hathaway also recently addressed cosmetic surgery rumors surrounding her youthful appearance.

In an interview with Elle on May 21, the actress stated that while she typically dislikes addressing rumors regarding her personal life, the social media speculation had spun out of control: “We live in an age where people are very confident that what they think is the truth. Sometimes it’s right, but sometimes it’s completely wrong.”

Hathaway noted that many people assumed she had undergone cosmetic procedures after appearing on the red carpet with a different look, when in reality, it was just a change in hairstyle. “I wanted to show people that there was no major medical decision. It was literally just two braids,” the actress shared humorously.

Nevertheless, she candidly admitted that she has not ruled out cosmetic surgery in the future: “Who knows, maybe one day I’ll get a facelift.”