Goldie Hawn’s heartbreaking health condition explained after she had to ask Andrew Garfield for help at Oscars
Hollywood legend Goldie Hawn bravely opened up about her health condition over the weekend during the 97th Academy Awards (2 March).
The 79-year-old Cactus Flower star was joined on stage by Andrew Garfield, 41, as they presented the Oscar for Best Animated Feature Film.
What did Goldie Hawn say about her cataracts?
During her speech, Hawn had to pause as she was unable to read the teleprompter as she turned to the Spider-Man actor and asked: "OK. Sweetheart, can you read that? I can't read that."
"I'm completely blind. I mean, I am," she shared before revealing that she was suffering from cataracts.
What is cataracts?
According to the NHS, cataracts occur when the lens - a small transparent disc inside the eye - develops cloudy patches.
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Over time, these patches become bigger causing blurry vision and can eventually lead to blindness.
Cataracts can affect people of all ages, but are most common in older people, with age causing the breakdown of proteins in the lens.
What causes age-related cataracts?
While it's not entirely clear why people are more likely to develop cataracts as they get older, there are a number of things which may increase your risk of cataracts including a family history of cataracts, smoking, diabetes, eye injury, long-term use of steroids and drinking too much alcohol.
When to seek medical advice if you suspect you have cataracts?
The NHS advises that anyone who finds their eyesight is blurred or misty, they find lights too bright or glaring, they find it harder to see in low light or that colours look faded should see an optician as soon as they're able to.
For example, glasses wearers may feel their lenses are dirty and constantly need cleaning - even when they don't.
Are cataracts painful?
While cataracts are not usually painful and do not make your eyes red or irritated, they can be painful if they're in an advanced stage or if you've got another eye condition.
Is there any treatment for cataracts?
Once you've seen an optician, they'll do a number of eye tests, including a visual acuity exam, which measures how well you see at various distances.
And, if the professional thinks you have cataracts, you may be referred to an ophthalmologist for more tests and treatment.
If the eye specialist finds that your cataracts are 'not too bad', they may recommend stronger glasses and brighter reading lights which may help for a while.
However, cataracts unfortunately get worse over time, so you'll eventually need surgery to remove and replace the affected lens.
Surgery is the only treatment that's proven to be effective for cataracts.
Rhiannon Ingle