ALAN Carr has revealed he had a terrifying ‘health scare’ resulting in his eyeballs needing draining, amid fears he is losing his sight.
The bespectacled comic had his eyes examined by Moorfields Eye Hospital in London.
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Alan Carr has revealed a recent health scare – which could impact his sightCredit: Getty
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The comedian has shared he has astigmatism which can lead to blurred visionCredit: Getty
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Alan shared he was “so worried” about his eyes’ conditionCredit: Getty
He also endured the “surreal” experience of a “spike” being driven into his anesthetised eyeball.
Alan, 48, was speaking to comedian Grace Campbell on the new episode of his Life’s A Beach podcast, which is out tomorrow.
He revealed: “I’ve got astigmatism – I kept telling people I had stigmata, like the wounds of Christ. Get over yourself, Alan.
“I had a bit of a health scare. I went to Moorfields [eye hospital]. I’ve got something wrong with my eyes – quite a bit of pressure.
“I hate the glaucoma thing, when they squirt the air in your eyes.
“I had something wrong with my eyes in the cornea. I was so worried.”
Alan added: “He had to basically choke me because this air going into my eye was too much.
“At Moorfields they anaesthetised my eyeball, and then the spike came in on to the lens to see if it worked.
“They said: ‘Just relax Alan, and just concentrate on the spike going into your eye.’ I’m like excuse me? What? Oh good, the spike is coming closer. Relax!
“It was so surreal. Losing my sight is my worst thing, and I can feel it getting worse.
“My eyeballs need draining – they’ve got too much pressure.”
Last year, his comedy series Changing Ends received a huge update regarding its future.
Penned by Alan, it is based on his own life growing up in the Midlands in the Eighties as the gay son of a Fourth Division football manager.
He had hoped the show would be Northampton’s answer to smash hit The Crown.
The Sun revealed how ITV had ordered not just one, but two more series.
New storylines will see the action move into the Nineties as Young Alan heads into his teens.
Astigamatism – what is it and how does it develop?
What is astigmatism?
Astigmatism is when the eye isn’t perfectly round like a football but more like a rugby ball shape, which can lead to blurred vision.
This means that light from an object does not focus exactly on the retina, but at two separate points.
Lateef Iqbal BSc, an optometrist at Specsavers in Surrey, said: “It’s something you’re usually born with although it can develop later on in life due to changes related to age.
“Astigmatism can develop after an eye injury, eye surgery or an eye disease – you’re also more likely to have it if you’re short or long-sighted.
“In more developed cases, or without treatment, symptoms can include headaches, having to squint, eye strain or tiredness when focusing.
“Astigmatism can be detected during a routine eye test and can be easily corrected with glasses, contact lenses or surgery.”
Types of astigmatism
There are two types of astigmatism, regular and irregular.
Irregular astigmatism is often caused by a corneal scar or “scattering” in the eye’s crystalline lens.
While this type of astigmatism can’t be corrected by standard prescription lenses, it may be corrected by contact lenses or, in minor cases, by laser eye surgery.
Regular astigmatism, arising from either the cornea or crystalline lens, can be corrected by a toric lens.
Alan said at the time: “To get your own sitcom recommissioned for a series is the most wonderful news ever, but to have TWO series recommissioned is utterly mind-blowing and such a huge compliment, which I do not take lightly
“I know how much this show has resonated with viewers and I promise I won’t let you down — and for someone whose actual life at times feels like a sitcom, believe me there are more tales to be told.
“Two series commissioned, eh?
“My dream of Changing Ends becoming Northampton’s answer to The Crown is two steps closer to being a reality.”
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Alan had his eyes examined by Moorfields eye hospitalCredit: Getty
