James Owen, the 20-year-old son of former England striker Michael Owen, has revealed the emotional toll of giving up his dream of becoming a professional footballer after being diagnosed with Stargardt disease, a rare inherited eye condition that has left him clinically blind.
Diagnosed at the age of eight, James has lost his central vision and now relies solely on his peripheral sight. He shared his experience in the upcoming Prime Video documentary series Meet The Owens, which follows a year in the life of the Owen family.
Diagnosis and early signs
Concerns about James's eyesight first arose when a primary school teacher noticed he appeared to be struggling to see the board. Subsequent extensive testing revealed Stargardt disease, a rare inherited eye disorder that affects approximately one in every 10,000 people globally. The condition causes fatty deposits to build up on the macula, leading to progressive deterioration of central vision.
James said: "Obviously it's been tough growing up. It makes it hard for me to look straight. People often think I'm rude for not keeping eye contact, I'm actually looking at them in the clearest way I possibly can."
Impact on football dreams
For James, the diagnosis meant confronting the loss of the career he had imagined for himself. "It was my dream to follow my dad's footsteps and be a footballer and have a really great career. To have that realisation it's not possible, it kills you," he said. "It used to break my heart coming back every day from school, I just used to cry and think life was unfair."
Michael Owen, 46, who scored 150 Premier League goals, won the Ballon d'Or in 2001 and earned 89 England caps, has spoken candidly about the guilt, fear and hope he has carried since his son's diagnosis. "When he first got diagnosed I remember stopping in the car about three or four times and just bursting out crying, thinking what's his life going to be like?" he said. "I wanted him to not feel sorry for himself, have a positive outlook on life. James's ability to laugh at himself is the most endearing thing in my world, just the little things like that brings us incredibly close together."
Family support and future plans
Michael has expressed a desire for James to work alongside him at Manor House Stables, the large racing and breeding yard he co-owns near Chester. "I'd love that - I think he's got all the hallmarks of being an asset to this place. But he's got to add to it, it's not a charity," Michael said.
Despite the difficulties, James is determined not to be defined by his condition. After hearing his father's emotional praise during filming, he admitted he was surprised. "I'm quite blown away that he would say that, he'd never say that stuff to your face - it's really thrown me through a loop," James said. He added: "I'd hate for people to feel sorry for me, I've still got the stuff that matters, a loving family and such a good model for a dad, it makes me really happy."
Hope for treatment and documentary release
Michael said the family continues to hope for a breakthrough in treatment for James. "We obviously go to bed every night praying and hoping there will be a cure but how he deals with his condition is just a credit to him."
All six episodes of Meet The Owens will be available to stream exclusively on Prime Video from August 28, 2026.
