Anne Hathaway has revealed secret medical condition

Anne Hathaway has opened up about a private medical condition.

The 43-year-old actress revealed on The New York Times podcast that she spent a decade struggling with severe vision problems caused by an early-onset cataract.

"This is maybe too much information. I was half blind for 10 years," she said.

The Devil Wears Prada star explained that the condition became so serious that she was "basically legally blind" out of her left eye before finally getting treatment.

"It impacted my vision so much that I was basically legally blind out of my left eye and I wound up getting surgery. And I didn't realize how bad it had gotten until I could finally see the full spectrum," she recalled.

Hathaway says the condition affected more than just her eyesight

A cataract occurs when the normally clear lens of the eye becomes cloudy, often causing blurred or hazy vision.

Per Mayo Clinic, it can make everyday tasks like reading, driving at night, or recognizing faces far more difficult.

While cataracts are more commonly linked to older adults, Hathaway developed the condition much earlier in life, with the actress revealing it affected her from around age 30 to 40.

The Oscar winner also admitted she had no idea how heavily the condition had been impacting her overall well-being until after the surgery.

"I've calmed down since then. I didn't realize it was actually taxing my nervous system,” she explained.

Since regaining her vision, Hathaway said she now sees her eyesight completely differently and feels grateful every day for the surgery that restored it.

"I appreciate vision because 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."

Hathaway hit back at plastic surgery rumors in an interview

The actress’ comments come shortly after she addressed online speculation surrounding plastic surgery rumours.

Speaking previously about the intense attention on her appearance, Hathaway said: "We’re at a time when people feel very confident in assuming what they think is fact, and sometimes what they think is accurate and sometimes it’s not.

"My preference would be to never comment on anything and to just live in the mystery and not draw attention to myself, but the speculation has gotten so loud that you do feel the need to just get your truth out there.

"And I'll probably always wonder, 'Should I have posted that or not?’ Should I have just kept going and done the thing that makes me happy and makes me feel more confident on the red carpet? But I felt like the conversation was becoming distracting," she added.

Featured image credit: Michael Buckner / Getty