Comedian, Actress, Former Presidential-Candidate, Roseanne Barr Is Losing Her Vision
Roseanne Barr is known for her comedic stylings, her crass language and no-holds-barred storytelling techniques. And now, she’s becoming the face of something new. Again. Roseanne has macular degeneration and glaucoma, ocular diseases that will leave the celebrity with vision loss.
Macular degeneration is caused when there is damage to the retina resulting in vision loss in the centre of the your visual field, eventually leaving patients blind. Glaucoma is when there is increased pressure to the eyeball, gradually causing blindness.
You may have seen recent tabloid and celebrity gossip magazines featuring Roseanne with large black glasses. And that’s why. She’s in paint. Macular degeneration and glaucoma come with severe discomfort and pain. Roseanne has publicly supported marijuana and touts its medicinal properties as helping her deal with pain she feels from the pressure in her eyes.
How is she dealing with her looming blindness? “I just try and enjoy vision as much as possible — y’know, living it up. My dad had it, too.” (From the Roseanne Bar interview with The Daily Beast.)
Good advice, but she brings up a good point as well. These diseases can be inherited, so it’s important to know your family history of vision health when speaking with your eye doctor.
Dame Judi Dench, known for her work in the James Bond films, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, Chocolat, The Shipping News, Shakespeare in Love and much more, is also suffering from macular degeneration and is losing her eyesight.
Celebrities bringing to light vision health and vision loss is important, especially in May, during Vision Health Month. Approximately 80 percent of vision loss is preventable or treatable if caught at an early stage. Visiting your eye doctor to receive regular eye examinations, as well as eating healthy and living an active lifestyle help mitigate the risks of eye disease. And of course, knowing your family history as some diseases, like cancer and heart disease, can be inherited from your parents.