Why doesn’t Mama June have her driver’s license?

During the season two premiere of Here Comes Honey Boo Boo, viewers saw Mama June Shannon resist getting behind the wheel of a go-kart during Sugar Bear’s birthday celebration. Although it was ultimately her girth that caused a problem, Mama June’s real anxiety was about her eyesight.

In fact, Mama June’s vision is so poor that she is considered legally blind and doesn’t have a driver’s license.

“She can’t have surgery because they believe it could do more harm than good,” a TLC spokesperson told The Daily Mail. “The damage is that bad.”

Mama June added her continuing vision problems were caused by childhood cataracts. Her family was unable to properly treat the cataracts and they are now irreversible.

According to WebMD more than half of Americans older than 65 suffer from cataracts. However, the clouding of the lens is much less common among children. The Daily Mail cited expert sources who say there is only a 1-in-5,000 chance of being born with cataracts.

Having untreated cataracts is even less common. Generally, doctors advise patients to have eye surgery within the first few months of cataract development. WebMD reports that more than 90 percent of cataract surgeries are considered successful.

Unfortunately, because Mama June’s condition has gone untreated for so long, she’s passed the point of no return. Thankfully, she has a loving family and group of friends who are always willing to get her where she needs to be.