Claudia Winkleman, the host of BBC's The Traitors, has opened up about her lifelong battle with severe myopia, a condition that left her unable to read the autocue and 'banging into walls'. The 51-year-old TV presenter revealed on the How To Fail podcast that she was born with a prescription of minus 15, making her extremely nearsighted.
Winkleman confessed that her eyesight has always been 'terrible', saying: 'I've never really been able to see my face. It's all guesswork.' She described her vision as 'ish' and said she prefers to live in a 'fuzzy world'. Despite two laser eye surgeries at Moorfields Eye Hospital in London, she still requires glasses or contact lenses.
The condition significantly impacted her role on Strictly Come Dancing, as she struggled to read the autocue. Speaking to The Sun in 2021, she said: 'I can't even begin to tell you how blind I am. It's embarrassing. I can't read the autocue. My eyes have deteriorated so badly, I'm not meant to drive. I am doing the wrong job.' She described the surgery as 'life-changing' and expressed gratitude to the staff at Moorfields.
Consultant ophthalmic surgeon Samer Hamada explained that achieving perfect vision with laser surgery for such high myopia is impossible, and residual refractive error or retinal degeneration may persist. He noted that severe myopia like Winkleman's is relatively uncommon in the UK but is increasing, particularly among younger generations due to screen use and reduced outdoor activity.
The NHS warns that symptoms of myopia include difficulty reading road signs, squinting, headaches, and eye strain. They advise visiting an optician if these signs appear. The Traitors season two airs tonight at 9pm on BBC One and iPlayer.
