Former English footballer Michael Owen revealed that his 20-year-old son James is facing a rare eye condition called Stargardt's disease, diagnosed when he was just 8 years old. The disease caused the young man to lose his central vision and he is now considered clinically blind, seeing only through peripheral vision.
In an interview published on Tuesday, Michael Owen said he even felt guilty about his son's diagnosis. However, the former striker highlighted the positive way James deals with the disease.
Stargardt's disease is a rare hereditary condition that affects the retina. It occurs when fatty waste deposits accumulate in the central region of the retina, causing progressive loss of central vision.
James discovered the problem after a primary school teacher noticed that he apparently had difficulty seeing. The disease, being hereditary, is related to family genetics.
