Michael Owen’s story about his son’s illness that makes him a footballer

Michael Owen has announced that his 13-year-old son is ‘clinically blind’ and cannot become a footballer.

The former English striker has confirmed that James has been diagnosed with Stargardt’s disease – which represents retinal degeneration.

Stargardt’s disease is also known as Stargardt macular dystrophy, juvenile macular degeneration or ‘fundus flavimaculatus’. The disease causes progressive damage or degeneration of the macula – which is a small area in the center of the retina, which is responsible for sharp, upright vision.
This disease usually causes vision loss during childhood or adolescence, and although there is still no cure, it is rarely the case that those affected by the disease lose all vision.

The 39-year-old Owen has so far declined to talk about his son’s condition, while in an interview with The Times he told about his illness.

“He will never become a footballer. My son has an eye disease. I never said that. I don’t want to become the head of the media. “

“Clinically, he is blind. She has Stargardt’s disease, a degeneration of the retina. I went and watched him and got excited about his positioning. “

“He can’t see the ball until he’s 4.5 meters near him. Just like any dad who wants his son to play, it’s almost a relief for me. “

“Everybody asks me, ‘Will he become a footballer?’, And as I stand at the edge of the field I hear them say, ‘He’s not as good as his father,'” Owen said.