Anne Hathaway reveals she was legally blind in her left eye for a decade due to cataracts

• Anne Hathaway was legally blind in her left eye for 10 years due to early-onset cataracts
• She revealed the diagnosis on the New York Times Popcast episode aired on 23 April
• Hathaway said she only realised how severe the condition had become after undergoing surgery

Anne Hathaway is riding a remarkable wave of professional momentum in 2026, with The Devil Wears Prada 2 and Mother Mary already released and The Odyssey still to come later in the summer.

But whilst she has been a constant presence in conversations about film and fashion, the actress has recently made headlines for an altogether different reason — a private health battle she kept hidden for a decade.

A diagnosis kept secret for 10 years

Speaking on the 23 April episode of Popcast, the podcast by The New York Times, Hathaway, 43, revealed that she had been diagnosed with early-onset cataracts that left her effectively legally blind in her left eye for 10 years before she underwent corrective surgery.

"I had early-onset cataracts, and it impacted my vision so much that I was basically legally blind out of my left eye, and I wound up getting surgery," she said.

"I didn't realise how bad it had gotten"

Hathaway explained that she had not fully grasped the extent of her vision loss until after the surgery had restored her sight.

"I didn't realise how bad it had gotten until I could finally see the full spectrum. I've calmed down since then. I didn't realise it was actually taxing my nervous system," she said.

Now that her eyesight has been restored, the actress says she feels a profound sense of gratitude each morning. "I literally feel like every day, I wake up, and I get to see the way that I do, it's a miracle," she said.

"I actually am like: 'Oh, two generations back, that wouldn't have been an option for someone like me.' So, I actually do feel very connected to that kind of a miracle."

What is early-onset cataract?

A cataract is a condition in which the lens of the eye becomes clouded due to a build-up of certain proteins, preventing light from passing through properly and disrupting vision.

According to Healthline, cataracts typically occur in people aged 60 and above, with symptoms often beginning around the age of 40. Early-onset cataracts describe the same condition occurring in people younger than this age range.

The symptoms of both standard and early-onset cataracts are the same and can include colours appearing faded or yellowed, increased sensitivity to glare that makes night driving difficult, double vision in one eye, the need for brighter light when reading, and blurred vision in one eye only.