The Serious Medical Condition That Alex Rodriguez Lives With

Former baseball star Alex Rodriguez is opening up about a serious health diagnosis.

A celebrity's wealth makes life easier in many areas. Unfortunately, that doesn't always lead to good health or a long life. Sure, their money allows them to invest in the top personal trainers, nutritionists, and even medical staff in the world, but it can't fix everything. In fact, many celebrities deal with rare medical issues that sometimes impact their livelihoods. Of course, there are a large number of celebrities who've died from their various illnesses. In 2023 alone, there have been several celebrity deaths related to failing health and/or old age. 

Actor Jacklyn Zeman, unfortunately, died from cancer in May, per ABC News. Meanwhile, actor Tom Sizemore died in March after having a brain aneurysm, per People. And there are plenty more currently living with serious diseases, like singer Sia, who has Graves' disease. Rapper Lil Wayne has epilepsy and suffered two back-to-back seizures while on a plane in 2022, per TMZ. In 2013, Lil Wayne appeared on "Rap Fix Live" and shared about his journey with seizures. "No warning, no nothing, I don't feel sick. I get headaches real bad. And the headaches? I didn't get no headaches or nothing," shared the rapper (via Today). He continued, "I go to sleep and wake up in the hospital. I don't feel anything. I just hope it stops happening." Simply put, when it comes to health problems, celebs really are just like ordinary people — even if they're an all-time great MLB player.

On May 31, Alex Rodriguez appeared on "CBS Mornings" to reveal that he has early stage gum disease. "I just recently went to see my dentist and not thinking anything about any gum disease," shared Rodriguez (via Us Weekly). "And the dentist tells me the news, and then I come to find out over 65 million Americans have this gum disease... So, it's important for all the viewers watching, all Americans, all folks, go out there and take care of your teeth." Rodriguez also addressed the assumption that chewing tobacco, which he abstained from but is popular in the baseball world, possibly led to his diagnosis. "I did a lot of sunflower seeds," he continued, "But anyways, viewers at home, it's always better to be safe. Go see your local dentist." Given how a celebrity's smile is tied to their success, it's great that Rodriguez is being proactive about his dental health.

In a follow-up interview, Rodriguez continued to distance his gum disease diagnosis from possible chewing tobacco use. "I don't want the readers to think that this happens to you if you do tobacco... if you dip," shared Rodriguez with People. He also shared where he went wrong in his dental journey. "The misconception that I had, and I have a feeling that others probably think the same thing, that if you have a nice smile and you feel like your teeth are clean and you brush and dental floss, that you're safe," Rodriguez said. "None of that is true. It can happen to anybody."

Gum disease isn't the only health-related problem that Alex Rodriguez deals with. In 2022, Rodriguez took to Instagram to reveal that he was having vision issues. "Hey, what's up everybody," said Rodriguez. "I'm having a big problem. I used to be known for my eyesight. 20/10, 20/15. Now I wake up in the morning, I can't read my texts, I can't see my emails. I don't even know if have a Blackberry or an iPhone." He continued, "So two questions: Number one, can you relate? And number two, any suggestions? What do I need to do to get my eyes fixed?" He captioned the video, "I need your help!!!" 

Unfortunately, it appears that the baseball pro's eyesight has deteriorated quite a bit in recent years. Back in 2004, years before his 2016 retirement from the sport, Rodriguez bounced back rather quickly after being hit in the face by a baseball. However, Rodriguez told ESPN, "My vision's all right. I see the ball fine, and I'm moving OK." Rodriguez's manager, Joe Torre expressed his relief over Rodriguez's bout of good luck. "He was lucky. The ball could have caught him flush in the eye," shared Torre. "You hold your breath every time something like that happens. It doesn't matter what the player is making." Hopefully Rodriguez can find a permanent solution to his vision troubles, although most middle age people will eventually have to invest in reading glasses, according to UCI Health.