John Cena has revealed he was diagnosed with Demodex Blepharitis, an eyelid condition caused by microscopic mites, after years of dismissing the symptoms as a normal part of aging.
Speaking to People, Cena said redness, itchiness, and morning crust buildup around his eyes had been ongoing but he repeatedly talked himself out of seeing a doctor.
“I had a lot of redness and itchiness, and every once in a while, waking up with eye crusties and stuff. At the same time, given my age — I’m 49 now — my vision was going a little bit, so I just figured it was par for the course. But because my vision was going, I needed to see if I needed glasses or prescriptions.”
He was eventually diagnosed and prescribed XDEMVY, an FDA-approved eye drop, which cleared up the symptoms.
“Now, I still need my readers, but I don’t have that redness, that itchiness and certainly not waking up with the crusties.”
Cena encouraged others not to delay a similar checkup. “I recommend that everybody do the same. A regular eye checkup is just as important as taking care of your teeth or anything else. The examination was easy. It’s certainly part of a regular eye exam, and the diagnosis was simple.”
According to the National Institutes of Health, Demodex Blepharitis affects an estimated 25 million Americans. Cena last appeared in WWE at Backlash, where he announced the John Cena Classic.
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