Hoda Kotb suffered what was referred to as a “medical emergency” during a segment of the ‘Today’ show.
The 59-year-old, who joined NBC in 1998, was in the middle of a ‘Today With Hoda & Jenna’ broadcast when she suddenly had to stop due to a crisis involving her eyesight.
It all began to unfold when the host realized she may have never taken her contact lenses out the night prior, resulting in her losing her eyesight.
Hoda Kotb Stops ‘Today’ Show Segment Due To Eye Issue
On Thursday, February 1, the ‘Today’ show host caused some ruckus due to her “medical emergency.”
“I think I have a contact stuck in my eye way up here. I don’t think I took it out last night and I can’t find it,” Kotb said of her contact lens, to which Jenna Bush Hager replied by asking, “Is this a medical emergency?”
The 59-year-old then went on to say, “It feels like it’s in there,” before adding that she was “not kidding” about the situation.
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“I was going to go to the eye doctor, but I didn’t have time,” the ‘Today’ show host continued before begging the viewers for help on how to handle the situation. “Maybe people have tricks to how to get it out! I’m sure people have had contacts that have rolled up. If you guys know, can you post on X?”
Bush Hager then backed her co-host, asking the audience, “Can we help our girl get her contact out?”
It doesn’t stop there, as when they rolled to a commercial break, the issue worsened. “We have breaking news,” Bush Hager announced after coming back on the air. “Hoda’s now lost all eyesight because her other contact fell out.”
Hoda thinks she has a contact stuck in her eye 😳 If you have any tips on how to get it out, let @hodakotb know 👇 pic.twitter.com/Um7BBlQtQ0
— TODAY with Hoda & Jenna (@HodaAndJenna) February 1, 2024
“It looks like a bunch of mushed-up colors,” Kotb said of her eyesight. “This is really weird. I’m totally dependent on you 100 percent. Not reading is not easy. I can’t read anything!”
Bush Hager admitted, “I don’t like this feeling. I like to be partners with you. Let’s hope that a doctor arrives in the next couple of minutes and Hoda is able to see!”
Her co-host then had no choice but to continue the show, telling Kotb and the audience, “I’m going to go ahead and read, and hopefully when the health person comes, we can resolve this issue.”
Contact Lens Causes Hoda Kotb To Lose Eyesight
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Later in the show, Kotb was told to “pull your lid and look down,” which the host attempted to do while on air with a hand mirror. After doing as she was told, she was able to restore her eyesight and remove the contact.
“Oh wait! That’s one or two [contacts]? That’s one,” she said while looking at the contact in her hand. “That was so crazy! That was the best advice.”
Luckily, it all worked out and Kotb’s eyesight came back!
Kotb first joined NBC in 1998 as a ‘Dateline’ correspondent. She then moved to co-hosting the fourth hour of the ‘Today’ show, before becoming co-anchor of the ‘Today’ showing 2018.
‘Today with Jenna and Hoda’ airs on weekdays at 10 am ET on NBC.