Bono, his sunglasses and glaucoma
The U2 lead singer wears dark glasses due to a chronic eye condition that makes his eyes super sensitive to light.
Speaking on BBC1’s Graham Norton show, in 2014, the U2 frontman explained that for the previous 20 years he has had glaucoma, a condition that can make eyes more sensitive to light.
Asked by Norton whether he ever removes his shades, Bono replied:
This is a good place to explain to people that I’ve had glaucoma for the last 20 years. I have good treatments and I am going to be fine.”
The singer added: “You’re not going to get this out of your head now and you will be saying, ‘Ah, poor old blind Bono.’”
Glaucoma is caused by a buildup of pressure in the eyeball which can damage the optic nerve and lead to blindness if not treated. Early diagnosis can prevent mean further deterioration of someone’s sight – with laser treatment, eye drops and surgery used to stop it worsening.
Bono serves as a great example of how many people with glaucoma can keep their sight and still lead very active lives if treated early enough.
