Ashton Kutcher describes his struggles with vasculitis: "Suddenly, you can't see"
Ashton Kutcher may be known as a lovable goofball in series like "That '70s Show" and "Dude, Where's My Car?" But he has struggled with his health in the past, including a rare form of vasculitis. Kutcher recently opened up about the symptoms that suddenly disrupted his life.
"I woke up one day and was having vision issues [and] could hardly see," Kutcher told CBS News medical contributor Dr. David Agus in a sit-down interview for the Paramount+ original docuseries "The Checkup with Dr. David Agus. "[It] knocked out my hearing, which threw off my equilibrium, my balance and I couldn't walk."
Vasculitis is an inflammation of blood vessels that can cause organ and tissue damage, according to the Mayo Clinic. Some of the symptoms include fatigue, dizziness, hearing loss, temporary or permanent blindness and shortness of breath.
"There's a standard you become accustomed to in your life, like, being able to see clearly," Kutcher said. "And then suddenly, you can't see."
He previously revealed his diagnosis on National Geographic's "Running the Wild with Bear Grylls: The Challenge," and later clarified on Twitter that his autoimmune flare-up happened three years ago and that he has since recovered.
"You want to reclaim the health that you once had," Kutcher said.
In the episode, Kutcher also sits down for his first joint interview with his twin brother Michael, who was born with cerebral palsy and underwent a lifesaving heart transplant at age 13.
Other episodes of the docuseries feature revealing interviews with celebrities including Oprah Winfrey, Amy Schumer, Nick Cannon, Jane Fonda and others who open up to Dr. Agus about health issues affecting them and their families. You can watch "The Checkup with Dr. David Agus" streaming on Paramount+ starting Tuesday, Dec. 6.
