Former footballer Michael Owen has thrown the doors open in his new reality series
Viewers tuning in to Michael Owen’s new reality show have been left curious about his son James Owen’s eye condition.
Six-part series Meet the Owens landed on Prime Video today (August 28) and gives audiences a candid insight into the life and family of former footballer-turned-racehorse owner Michael, his wife Louise and their four children Jessica, Emily, James and Gemma. Episode three shines a spotlight on 20-year-old James as it’s revealed that Michael’s son is clinically blind and suffers from a rare, degenerative eye condition.
During the episode, James and his parents all separately open up about their thoughts and feelings about the condition. Many people are curious to know more about the condition – here’s what James has said about it as well as the condition itself.
Michael Owen’s son James’ eye condition explained
James suffers from Stargardt disease, which is a hereditary eye disorder that progressively gets worse. The condition means that he has limited vision, restricted to his peripheral vision.
According to the NHS ’ Moorfields Eye Hospital states: “Stargardt disease is a rare inherited condition affecting one in 8,000 to 10,000 people.” The site goes on to state: “In Stargardt’s the light-sensitive layer of cells in the macular region of the eye degenerate.
“The macular is the area at the back of the eye which is responsible for the fine detailed vision necessary for activities such as watching TV and reading.” The symptoms of Stargardt disease typically develop before the age of 20.
James, who was born with Stargardt disease, only discovered he had the condition when he was just eight after a teacher called his parents into school and told them that their child might be struggling to see at school. It later took the family a while to get the diagnosis.
James said: “Obviously, as you can imagine, it’s been tough growing up. It’s not good in the centre of the view and it makes it hard for me to look straight.” He went on to say: “Quite often people think I’m rude for not keeping eye contact. I’m actually looking at them in the clearest way I possibly can.”
In a heartbreaking admission, James said he’d always wanted to be a professional footballer like his father but his dreams were shattered by the diagnosis. James explained: “That was my dream, to follow my dad’s footsteps: to be a footballer and make a great career.”
He went on to say: “To have a realisation that it’s not possible, it kills you. It used to break my heart.” James added: “Every day coming back from school and I just used to cry and I used to think life was unfair.”
He now works as a trader online, buying and selling gold by himself. However, James said he wanted to put back into his father’s horse racing business Manor House Stables at some point in the future.
Ex-England and Liverpool player Michael, 46, also admitted he felt guilty about his son’s condition because it was genetic. Michael said: “We made James and I don’t think I’d be normal if I didn’t put myself in the mirror and think, ‘You know, it’s down to us that he’s got this eye condition.’”
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The footballing legend continued: “So I did feel guilty for a little while and could say I still feel guilty now.” Nonetheless, Michael said he was looking at the “positives with him” and then the “guilty sort of evaporates”.
Meet the Owens also sees his daughter and Love Island star Gemma taking on her first race after coming from a background in dressage. Gemma had to undergo rigorous training to become a jockey as she planned to take part in the charity race. Moreover, the series sees Michael trying to make a success of Manor House Stables and trying to turn a profit by finding investors to put their money into his business.
Meet the Owens is streaming on Prime Video now









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