What was up with JFK's eyes?
Asked by: Mr. Jermain Hayes | Last update: February 13, 2026Score: 4.1/5 (75 votes)
JFK's eye condition wasn't a single diagnosis but involved strabismus (crossed eyes), which he concealed with vision correction, and "sanpaku" eyes, a term for visible white (sclera) below the iris, leading to some eye strain and requiring glasses, though he was famously photographed with "Foster-Kennedy syndrome", a misdiagnosis for his Addison's disease, not an eye issue, but the syndrome involves optic nerve problems, which JFK also had due to his severe back and adrenal issues.
What was JFK's eye condition?
Regarding the eyes of presidents, perhaps readers have observed the apparent fact that President Kennedy also had a unilateral exotropia and hyperphoria. I first noticed this when looking at a Norman Rockwell portrait of President Kennedy on the cover of the Saturday Evening Post shortly after the assassination.
What causes sanpaku eyes?
However, it's important to note that psychological assessments of sanpaku eyes are rooted in superstition. In reality, scleral show is simply inherited or can be the result of aging, injury or disease. Scleral show may also be caused by complications from blepharoplasty (eyelid lift surgery).
What were John F. Kennedy's last words before he died?
Nellie Connally turned and commented to Kennedy, who was sitting behind her, "Mr. President, they can't make you believe now that there are not some in Dallas who love and appreciate you, can they?" Kennedy's reply – "No, they sure can't" – were his last words.
What disease was JFK suffering from?
John F. Kennedy (JFK) suffered from several serious, often secret, health conditions, most notably Addison's disease (adrenal insufficiency), severe back problems (Addison's likely worsened by steroid use), and also experienced issues like hypothyroidism, chronic diarrhea, and osteoporosis, managed with numerous medications. His health challenges, including gastrointestinal issues and pain, were largely hidden from the public during his presidency.
JFK and the CIA
What does someone with Addison's disease look like?
People with Addison's disease often have noticeably darkened skin (hyperpigmentation) with a tanned or bronze look, especially on knuckles, elbows, scars, and mouth linings, alongside extreme fatigue, weight loss, low blood pressure (causing dizziness), salt cravings, and muscle weakness, though symptoms vary and can develop slowly. Other signs include body hair loss in women, headaches, nausea, and potential mood changes.
Why was JFK's face swollen?
Kennedy's doctor's also believed that he had hypothyroidism, or insufficient thyroid hormone. Symptoms of hypothyroidism include depression, a puffy face and joint and muscle pain.
What was the last thing JFK ate?
President John F. Kennedy's last meal, on the morning of November 22, 1963, in his Fort Worth hotel room, was a simple breakfast of two five-minute soft-boiled eggs, crisp oven-baked bacon, toast with orange marmalade and butter, fresh orange juice, and coffee with hot milk, a typical and familiar meal before his assassination hours later.
Was Jackie Kennedy's pink suit cleaned?
The suit, which was never cleaned, is kept out of public view in "an acid-free container in a windowless room ... the precise location is kept secret.
Why was there blood on Jackie's dress?
Jackie Kennedy wore her blood-stained pink suit after President Kennedy's assassination as a powerful, silent statement to show the world the brutal reality and horror of the event, refusing to clean herself or the suit because she wanted "them to see what they've done to Jack". She kept it on for the rest of the day, including during Lyndon B. Johnson's swearing-in on Air Force One, making it a poignant symbol of national trauma, quiet grief, and dignified protest, according to posts on Facebook and People.com.
What is with Billie Eilish's eyes?
Billie Eilish's distinctive eyes, often appearing "droopy" or showing white below the iris, are often attributed to Sanpaku eyes (visible white on three sides), a natural trait linked to her naturally large eyes and how she tilts her head/looks in photos, rather than a specific health issue, though she does have synesthesia (hearing colors) and Tourette's. Her unique look is a combination of natural features, specific angles in photography, and sometimes intentional styling, making her eyes appear striking and expressive.
What ethnicity has the most hooded eyes?
Hooded eyes, often associated with the presence of an epicanthic fold, are most common in people of East Asian, Southeast Asian, Central Asian, and Indigenous American populations, where the trait can be nearly universal in some groups, though they occur across all ethnicities due to genetics or aging.
Did Princess Diana have sanpaku eyes?
Yes, Princess Diana is frequently cited as a famous example of someone with yin sanpaku eyes, a Japanese concept where the white (sclera) shows below the iris, suggesting a connection to emotional turmoil or physical imbalance, a trait also linked to other icons like Marilyn Monroe and Billie Eilish. While a mystical concept, some attribute it to genetics or health issues.
What's the rarest eye color in the United States?
The rarest eye color in America is typically considered gray, followed closely by green (about 9% of Americans), with amber and heterochromia also being extremely uncommon, often making up less than 1% each; gray eyes are rarer than green due to low melanin and high collagen, appearing as a smoky or silvery shade, while true green is the rarest of the common colors, according to the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO).
Why was JFK's coffin dropped in the ocean?
JFK's first coffin was dropped in the ocean in 1966 at the request of his brother, Robert Kennedy, to prevent it from becoming a morbid relic or souvenir, honoring JFK's own consideration for a burial at sea and keeping it from falling into the wrong hands, by drilling holes, weighting it with sandbags, and sinking it deep in the Atlantic, far from shipping lanes.
What syndrome did Jackie Kennedy have?
Hypertelorism is a symptom in a large spectrum of birth defect syndromes; researching the OMIM website would bring you over 800 matches, but none, all of them, needs to be addressed: Jackie Kennedy had hypertelorism [Figure 5] but did not require any treatment!
Why did Christina Onassis dislike Jackie Kennedy?
Christina Onassis disliked Jackie Kennedy primarily because she believed Jackie married her father, Aristotle Onassis, for his money and saw her as an "unfortunate obsession" who brought bad luck, especially after the tragic death of Christina's brother, Alexander, leading to a bitter inheritance dispute after Aristotle's death.
How much did Kim Kardashian pay for Jackie Kennedy's Cartier watch?
Kim Kardashian reportedly paid $379,500 for Jackie Kennedy's gold Cartier Tank watch at a 2017 Christie's auction, a price nearly triple the initial estimate, buying it anonymously but later revealed as the winner. She wore the watch, engraved with "February 23, 1963," when meeting Donald Trump, feeling it offered "some power" for her criminal justice reform advocacy, according to Vogue and Forbes.
What were JFK's last words before he died?
What were JFK's last words? Historians have confirmed that JFK's last words before the fatal shot were, “No, you certainly can't.” Without context, this utterance doesn't make much sense, but it turns out that the president and the governor's wife were making small talk in the car.
What was John F. Kennedy's favorite meal?
JFK Chowder America's 35th president was a New Englander through and through. Among his favorite meals was a delicately flavored, creamy chowder which reminded him of his home state. JFK Chowder is fantastically filled with bites of tender white fish and hearty potatoes.
What was Princess Diana's last meal?
Princess Diana's last meal, eaten at the Ritz Paris on August 31, 1997, consisted of Dover sole, vegetable tempura, and a mushroom and asparagus omelet, ordered from the L'Espadon restaurant and delivered to her suite for privacy. This simple, vegetable-focused meal, reflecting her known preferences for lighter fare, was consumed shortly before she departed for her fatal car crash with Dodi Fayed and driver Henri Paul.
What was Elvis Presley's last meal?
Elvis Presley's last meal, eaten in the early morning hours before his death on August 16, 1977, was a simple, sweet snack: four scoops of vanilla ice cream and six chocolate chip cookies. This indulgent dessert was brought to him as he was reading, providing a moment of comfort amidst his declining health, complicated by prescription drug use, which was a major factor in his passing.
Why did Kennedy's head go backwards when shot?
Three of the physicians reported that the backward and leftward motion of the President's upper body following the head shot was caused by a "violent straightening and stiffening of the entire body as a result of a seizure-like neuromuscular reaction to major damage inflicted to nerve centers in the brain".
What were JFK Jr's last words?
Kennedy answered, “No, sir, I'm, uh, actually I'm heading a little, uh, north of it, uh, eastbound.” After the tower controller instructed Kennedy to “make it a right downwind departure then,” Kennedy responded, “Right downwind departure two two.” Those were his final recorded words.
Was JFK's casket ever opened?
No, President John F. Kennedy's funeral had a closed casket, a decision made by Jacqueline Kennedy and Robert Kennedy due to the severe head wounds, overriding suggestions for an open casket to show the public the president was dead. The body was prepared in an initial casket, but it was soiled by blood and unsuitable for public viewing, leading to a new one being used for the lying in state and funeral, while the original was later disposed of at sea, as reported by Funeral Director Daily and The Irish Times.