Anne Hathaway Was ‘Legally Blind’ for a Decade Due to Early Onset Cataract

Anne Hathaway recently shared how an early onset cataract left her legally blind in one eye for a decade. Getty images Anne Hathaway recently shared about the early onset cataract that left her legally blind in one eye for 10 years. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states that 17.2% of Americans ages 40 and older have a cataract in one or both eyes. Cataracts generally begin to occur in people over 40, but they can and often do occur in people younger than this. Academy Award and Golden Globe-winning actor Anne Hathaway recently spoke out about the early onset cataract that left her nearly legally blind for 10 years. “I was half blind for 10 years — age 30 to 40,” Hathaway told the New York Times’ Popcast in an earlier interview. “I had an early onset cataract, and it affected my vision so much that I was basically legally blind out of my left eye.” Hathaway said she underwent surgery to fix her cataract. “I didn’t realize how bad it had gotten until I could finally see the full spectrum,” she told the Popcast. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), around 20.5 million (17.2%) Americans ages 40 and older have a cataract in one or both eyes. While cataracts typically develop after age 40, they can occur in younger people. Cataracts are common among middle-aged and older adults. They affect approximately 94 million people globally and are one of the leading causes of vision impairment. “Everyone will develop at some point in their lifetime, and while they typically begin forming between ages 40 and 50, we do see cases that develop earlier, often referred to as early onset cataracts,” said Ashley Brissette, MD, an ophthalmologist and eye surgeon specializing in cataract surgery in New York City. Healthline spoke with Brissette to learn more about early onset cataracts and how they’re treated. This interview has been lightly edited for clarity and length. What causes early onset cataracts? Brissette: Thes