US actor and venture capitalist Ashton Kutcher has revealed he suffered from a rare autoimmune disease, vasculitis, impacting his vision, hearing and mobility.
"I woke up one day and was having vision issues and could hardly see," Kutcher told CBS News’ Dr David Agus in The Checkup: With Dr David Agus. "It knocked out my hearing, which threw off my equilibrium, my balance and I couldn't walk. There's a standard you become accustomed to in your life, like being able to see clearly, and then suddenly, you can't see.” In 2022, Kutcher completed the New York City Marathon, confirming his complete recovery. “It took me a year to build it all back up. You don’t really appreciate it until it’s gone,” he said in an episode of National Geographic’s Running Wild with Bear Grylls.
According to the Mayo Clinic, inflammation associated with vasculitis can cause the walls of the blood vessels to thicken, restricting bloodflow, which can result in organ and tissue damage. General signs and symptoms include fever, headache, fatigue, weight loss and general aches and pains. When the eyes are affected, they can look red, itch or burn.