Celebrities and Famous People with Glaucoma

Glaucoma can be quite debilitating, but it does not mean it’s a detriment to success. If one is suffering from glaucoma, celebrities can make that person feel inspired, represented, and less lonely. In this post, we will celebrate celebrities and famous people with glaucoma.

What is Glaucoma?

The optic nerve sends visual information from your eye to your brain. This means that if it were to get damaged, it would result in poor vision. Glaucoma is a group of eye conditions that damage this nerve, which can occur at any age. However, it is most common in older adults and often causes blindness in people over 60. Since it is gradual and often has no warning signs, one may not notice a change in vision until it’s in its later stages. That is why it’s important to have regular eye exams to slow down or prevent vision loss.

Celebrities with Glaucoma

Several of these individuals still had thriving careers, from famous actors with glaucoma to famous singers with glaucoma. Below, we will take a look at a few famous people with glaucoma.

Andrea Bocelli

Glaucoma affected the opera singer at a very young age. Bocelli was born with congenital glaucoma and eventually went completely blind at the age of 12 after a soccer accident caused a brain hemorrhage. However, the Italian-born tenor still went on to have an impressive music career.

Bono

Glaucoma began affecting the U2 frontman in the early 1990s, which he revealed in 2014 on The Graham Norton Show. Most people know Bono because of his famous sunglasses, which he even wears indoors. But those are not merely for a fashion statement. He actually wears them to alleviate the difficulties he experiences from glaucoma.

John Glenn

The former astronaut and US senator have been a vocal proponent of early detection, which he credited for saving his sight. He even participated in a public service campaign to raise awareness for the disease. “I’ll never forget the beautiful image of Earth as I looked from the Space Shuttle Discovery,” Glenn said. “If my glaucoma had not been caught in time, I never would have seen such a sight.”

Kirby Puckett

The Hall of Fame baseball player, who won two World Series, woke up with blindness in one eye in 1996. The condition turned out to be glaucoma and forced him to retire. This is why eye doctors recommend regular eye exams to ensure early detection.

Ray Charles

The singer and songwriter went completely blind at the age of seven. While the condition was never confirmed, Charles grew up in poverty and without access to proper treatment. This leads many to believe he suffered from glaucoma, underscoring early detection’s importance.

Whoopi Goldberg

The comedian suffers from angle-closure glaucoma, which is a common type of glaucoma among Black Americans. Goldberg has said that one of her major symptoms is severe headaches and she has long been an outspoken advocate for using medical marijuana, which she smokes through vaporizers, to ease the symptoms.