Michael Owen opens up on son's incurable condition that left him 'clinically blind' and ended his football dream

Michael Owen has opened up on his son's incurable condition that left him 'clinically blind' and unable to continue his career in football.

At the age of eight, James Owen was diagnosed with Stargardt; a rare genetic eye disease that happens when fatty material builds up on the macula – the small part of the retina needed for sharp, central vision.

According to the National Eye Institute, vision loss often starts in childhood but some people with Stargardt don't start to lose their vision until they become adults.

Symptoms can include difficulty reading or seeing in dim light, blurriness and distorted vision.

There is no treatment for Stargardt disease at this present moment, but rehabilitation can help people make the most of their remaining vision.

Image credit: Football is For Everyone/TNT Sports

As a result of the chronic condition worsening, James admits he eventually "lost the enjoyment" out of playing football because he wanted to be the best.

James, 17, will speak about Stargardt in a new documentary called Football is For Everyone, which will premiere on TNT Sports on January 30.

The documentary, hosted by Owen and his son, will focus on the England Partially Sighted Futsal Team ahead of the 2023 IBSA World Games, but will also feature discussions about James' condition.

Ahead of its release later this month, former England and Liverpool striker Michael Owen, spoke to the The Mail about being asked about his son's career in football.

"It's probably the worst question, not that I ever show it or say it to anybody," he said.

"You find yourself either having to make an excuse or say he's not interested and people look at you and say 'he's not interested in football?' Then you have to explain everything and you end up in a conversation you don't really want to have with anybody."

Image credit: Football is For Everyone/TNT Sports

Owen added: "When someone comes up to you in the pub and says 'does your son play?' you just want to change the subject. That's probably been the hardest thing over the years.

"James probably wasn't enjoying football as much as he should have been because he wasn't as good as he should have been.

"When he was very young and his eyes were probably slightly better than they are now and the pitches were smaller and everything was a lot closer so he could see the ball better, he was very, very good. I said to my dad and my wife and everyone 'he's got a right chance here of being a footballer'.

"But then as soon as he got diagnosed, he just sort of gradually stopped. He coped with it well."

Owen publicly opened up about his son's condition for the first time in 2019. "He will never be a footballer. My son's got an eye condition," he told The Times. "I've never said this. I don't want a big headline.

"Clinically, he's blind. He's got Stargardt disease, a degeneration of his retina. I used to go and watch him and bollock him about his positioning.

"He can't see the ball until it's five yards away. As much as every father wants their son to play, it is almost a relief to me.

"Everyone always asks, 'Is he going to be a footballer?' and then I stand on the side of the pitch and hear, 'He's not as good as his dad.'"

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