Stephen Curry Reveals Undiagnosed Keratoconus Eye Disease Diagnosis
- NBA All-Star Stephen Curry revealed that he spent years playing with an undiagnosed progressive eye disease called keratoconus, a condition that causes the cornea to thin and bulge...
- The diagnosis came after Myers watched a game from home and noticed Curry squinting at the Jumbotron and his teammates while sitting on the bench.
- He's like, 'Hey, you were doing this the whole time they had you on camera.
NBA All-Star Stephen Curry revealed that he spent years playing with an undiagnosed progressive eye disease called keratoconus, a condition that causes the cornea to thin and bulge into an irregular cone shape. Diagnosed at age 29 in 2018 after former Golden State Warriors general manager Bob Myers spotted him squinting on television, Curry now manages the condition with specialized contact lenses and bi-annual eye screenings.
The Squint That Changed Golden State’s Dynasty
The diagnosis came after Myers watched a game from home and noticed Curry squinting at the Jumbotron and his teammates while sitting on the bench. Myers snapped a photo of the broadcast and texted it to Curry, prompting the basketball player to schedule an optometrist visit that uncovered the condition.
A Late-Night Text From the Front Office
He’s like, ‘Hey, you were doing this the whole time they had you on camera. Have you gotten your eyes checked?’
Curry told Healthline, recalling the text message from Myers. And then that was the first idea of like, ‘Wait, is there something off about the way, you know, my vision was?’
Keratoconus alters the structure of the cornea, shifting it from a round shape to an irregular cone. This structural change produces symptoms including blurry or distorted vision, increased light sensitivity, nighttime halos, glare, frequent eyeglass prescription changes, and eye irritation.
Behind the Science of Keratoconus
Randy McLaughlin, an associate professor of clinical ophthalmology at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, explained that the condition can severely impede daily activities such as working or driving if left untreated. McLaughlin noted that patients are commonly fitted with rigid gas permeable contact lenses—firm lenses made of breathable plastic and silicone that allow oxygen to reach the cornea directly—or larger scleral lenses that vault over the cone-shaped cornea to rest on the white of the eye.
Medical interventions can also halt the progression of the disease. Patients may be treated with a medical therapy called corneal cross-linking, which hopefully stops the progression of keratoconus,
McLaughlin told Healthline.
Sudden Clarity On and Off the Court
Before securing the correct lens prescription, Curry experienced frequent headaches and relied entirely on visual adaptation. Once fitted with corrective lenses, the change on and off the basketball court was immediate.
I was the most annoying person probably that first two weeks, ’cause any time I walked in the room, either I’d be awkwardly staring at you, ’cause I can see you clearly, or making a comment [like], ‘I can see all the dust in the air, like, this is incredible,
Curry said.
Screenings, Memoirs, and Modern Diagnosis
Curry noted that he now undergoes eye screenings twice a year to monitor the progressive condition and works with treatment partners to manage his care. He has even joked about a potential title for a future memoir. I joke that when I’m all done, my memoir should be called The Whole Time I Couldn’t See,
Curry told People Magazine.
According to McLaughlin, keratoconus is diagnosed during standard eye exams using a keratometer, though supplementary tests may be ordered if patients exhibit sudden shifts in astigmatism, unresponsiveness to standard eyeglasses, or irregular corneal reflections. While the condition is not inherited in most cases, clinicians emphasize that gathering a complete family medical history remains a standard part of the diagnostic evaluation.