"I was born with Astigmatism": Natalya opens up about legal blindness struggles, set to make WWE comeback

Natalya Neidhart, one of WWE’s longest-tenured female superstars, has had a remarkable career since her debut in 2008 despite having a major medical condition. This WWE Star has faced and overcome several challenges throughout her wrestling journey. However, one challenge she kept hidden from the world was her battle with legal blindness in her left eye. Now, after years of struggle, Natalya has returned to WWE with her vision fully restored, marking a new chapter in her iconic career.

On the September 9 episode of Monday Night RAW, Natalya made her highly anticipated return to the ring. Partnering with Zelina Vega and Lyra Valkyria, she faced Sonya Deville, Zoey Stark, and Shayna Baszler. This return surprised fans, who hadn’t seen the veteran wrestler in action for some time, and it was later revealed that Natalya had been undergoing treatment for a significant vision impairment.

In an interview with The Takedown On SI, Natalya opened up about her long-kept secret: she had been legally blind in her left eye for years due to astigmatism. "I don’t think even really anybody in WWE knew about it because I kept it pretty secretive. I was born with astigmatism… I was legally blind in my left eye," Natalya revealed. This revelation shocked fans, as she had continued to compete at the highest level in WWE despite such a major challenge.

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Natalya's vision problems were first highlighted in 2015 during a deleted scene from Total Divas. At that time, she had noticed that her left eye’s condition was worsening, but despite seeking medical help, she wasn’t eligible for common corrective procedures like LASIK or lens implants due to the shape of her eye. "They didn’t have the technology to fix it," she explained. "I didn’t qualify for LASIK because of how my eye was shaped."

Her vision issues became so severe that she ultimately decided to stop using contact lenses, opting to rely solely on her right eye during matches. "I was like screw it. I’m not going to wear the contact lens. I’m literally just going to take it out and just let my right eye do all the work," Natalya stated. Despite this obstacle, she continued wrestling at the top level, representing the Hart family’s legacy with pride.



By the summer of 2024, however, her vision had deteriorated significantly. Fortunately, during a hiatus from WWE, she found hope in the form of an innovative procedure at Newsom Eye in Tampa. "I had a little time off this summer in between my contract re-signing. And I was like, if I had this time off, I’m going to ask WWE if I can get this fixed because I went and found an eye doctor," Natalya said. She underwent EVO ICL implant surgery, a less invasive and reversible procedure that restored her left eye’s vision. To ensure perfect vision, she also had corrective surgery on her right eye. "They even strengthened my right eye. I had surgery in my right eye to get (it) even stronger so that my right eye (and) my left eye are totally in sync with each other."

Now fully healed, Natalya is once again ready to compete without the limitations that had affected her for years. Her return to the ring has been a major talking point among fans, especially with her last match taking place during the October 7 edition of Monday Night RAW. Fans are thrilled to see her back in action, knowing that she no longer has to deal with the struggles that plagued her career for so long.

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