What made Ray Charles go blind?

Ray Charles lost his sight in the early 1960s, just after achieving great success as a musician. Doctors were unable to determine the cause of the blindness and it is still not entirely clear. Some theorize that it could have been caused by frequent drug overdoses or recklessness with alcohol. Others think that it may have been a hereditary condition that he passed onto his children.

What made Ray Charles go blind so young?

While Ray Charles’s blinding condition is often attributed to diabetes, it’s not clear whether he actually had the disease. Although he did have symptoms that could be related to the disease, including frequent low-level infections and blurred vision, Charles’s eyesight did not seem to degenerate significantly.

What made Ray Charles go blind from drugs?

Ray Charles was born to sing. He began taking piano and guitar lessons at the age of 12. By the time he was 11, he’d already made a name for himself as an accomplished amateur musician. He formed his first gospel group, the Heavenly Vocalists, when he was just a teenager. He performed with the group for years before transitioning into secular music.

What made Ray Charles go blind from diabetes?

A combination of several factors, including a severe case of childhood diabetes, contributed to the loss of vision that made the blind gospel singer Ray Charles virtually blind by the time he was in his thirties. He developed cataracts as early as age 13, and by 1964, he could no longer see well enough to complete his tours or sing in nightclubs. By then, he had already made his mark as a pioneering musician, recording gospel songs that would later be hits for other artists.

What made Ray Charles go blind with diabetes?

There is no clear answer as to why Ray Charles developed diabetes, but it’s likely that he was genetically predisposed. There is no cure for type 2 diabetes, so a lifetime of managing the condition is required. For his part, Ray Charles’s doctors made efforts to control his disease. He lost significant weight and began taking medication to reduce his blood sugar levels. Unfortunately, his health declined rapidly, and eventually he was blind.