EXCLUSIVE: Natalya Neidhart Reveals Her Struggle With Legal Blindness

"To be blind is not miserable; not to be able to bear blindness, that is miserable." -- John Milton

wwe.com

An athlete’s body is a holy vessel built for finance, prestige, and historic exploits. It’s a rocket ship blasting one from obscurity to abundance. But, like any vehicle, the body can break. The journey halts. For Natalya Neidhart, WWE’s longest-tenured female competitor, her voyage was nearly terminated.

"I don't think even really anybody in WWE knew about it because I kept it pretty secretive," she told The Takedown On SI in an exclusive interview. "I was born with astigmatism... I was legally blind in my left eye."

Neidhart disclosed growing concern over her vision in a Total Divas deleted scene from 2015. "I'm starting to realize that something is definitely not right with my left eye," she said. "It seems to be getting worse lately.”

MORE: EXCLUSIVE: Natalya Neidhart Reveals The Person Who Helped Shawn Michaels And Bret Hart Reconcile

For years, Natalya tried to prevent, even reverse her left eye’s diminishing vision. She visited doctors, specialists, and surgeons, seeking a solution. How could she continue her decorated in-ring career if she couldn’t see?

"They didn't have the technology to fix it. (I) Didn't qualify for LASIK because of how my eye was shaped. At that time, the procedure that they had for (a) lens implant, because of the shape of my eye, I didn't qualify for it."

- Natalya Neidhart

Frustrated with the lack of solutions, Neidhart settled for a contact lens but she struggled to apply and remove it. When she was able to apply it properly she “would almost see double.”

“I was like screw it,” she told us. “I’m not going to wear the contact lens. I'm literally just going to take it out and just let my right eye do all the work.”

For years, Neidhart wrestled with one eye. A lesser performer would have submitted. But, wrestling is oxygen to the Hart Family, and Nattie races her family’s flag to every corner of the planet for the largest wrestling promotion in the world: WWE. It would take a lot more to cease her journey.

Then, in the summer of 2024, with Nattie’s left eye nearly useless, hope arrived.

“I had a little time off this summer in between my contract re-signing. And I was like, if I had this time off, I'm going to ask WWE if I can get this fixed because I went and found an eye doctor,” Neidhart said. "Newsom Eye in Tampa. They had the technology that they didn't have before.”

Newsom Eye performed an EVO ICL implant surgery on Neidhart. Unlike laser eye-correction, which is a permanent solution, the EVO lens is less invasive, reversible, and proved to be the perfect solution for Nattie’s damaged vision.

“They even strengthened my right eye,” Neidhart said. “I had surgery in my right eye to get (it) even stronger so that my right eye (and) my left eye are totally in sync with each other.”

Natalya finally had 20/20 vision.

IG: @natbynature

When WWE RAW landed in Calgary, Alberta, Canada on September 9, Natalya’s chariot was in pristine condition, and ready to continue the ride. Her uncle, mentor, and one of the most revered wrestlers in the world, Bret “Hitman” Hart, would appear for an in-ring segment. At least 80 members of the Hart tribe were in attendance. The butterflies in Nattie's stomach slammed around like pinballs.

MORE: Twitter/X Reacts To Gunther Telling Bret Hart His Favorite Wrestler Is Goldberg

“I felt extremely nervous because every time I perform in front of my family, especially with Bret there, I get extra nervous,” she said.

Neidhart was revealed as Lyra Valkyria and Zelina Vega’s surprise tag-team partner, her hometown crowd and family roaring their approval. The six-woman scuffle ended with Natalya applying the Sharpshooter to Zoey Stark for a submission victory.

Natalya Neidhart’s passage through the annals of pro wrestling history continues; her transport repaired and back on track.

“My best match still hasn't happened,” Neidhart said. “It might be with Giulia. You never know who it'll be against, but I'm so excited about the future.”

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