'Arrow' Star Katherine McNamara Opens Up About Her New Superpower, Being Able To See: 'It's Very Daunting'

She first learned about her vision issues two years ago when she went to the optometrist for a monster contact lens fitting (as we all do). It was there that she did a vision test on a whim.

The results were surprising: “I found out that I was very much in need of some vision help. So, I started wearing glasses, but given my active lifestyle and not being able to wear glasses at work, it became kind of difficult.”

“It’s very daunting,” she says. "Or it can seem so for someone who’s new to it.”

With more time suddenly on her hands, she dedicated herself to finding a contact lens option that would work. So, she called it “fortuitous” that she found Alcon PRECISION1 lenses at precisely the right time.

“That was it for me,” she says. “They’re so easy to use and I can wear them all day without even thinking about it.”

They've even given her a new outlook on life. “I’m used to only having superhero powers at work, but it kind of feels like I have superpowers because I can see really well without having to wear the frames on my face.”

Since she has such an affinity for the brand, she's working alongside them for their See What Happens campaign.

“It’s such a great campaign because they’ve created this lenses love quiz, where you can go to the Lens Love Quiz and find out, based on your lifestyle, what your love lenses style is."

“The contact lenses help everything. If I’m running on the treadmill trying to read or sitting on my bike trying to watch Netflix."

Having better vision has even gotten the Arrow star back into some of her old hobbies, like photography. It's allowed her to view the world through an entirely different lens.

She likes taking her old film camera with her wherever she goes. She’ll even bring it when she travels with her Shadowhunters co-star, Will Tudor.

“Whenever Will and I travel, we just wander and take pictures. He’ll have his camera and I’ll have my camera and we just explore through our lenses.”

Whenever she’s not snapping pics, the actress has been keeping in superhero shape with her workouts. Her favs? Spinning, running, and hiking.

You can also find her boxing, which is something that she does with her boyfriend, Bob, AKA #BobtheQuarantineDummy. When asked about the status of their relationship, she says with a laugh that their relationship has sort of run its course.

“I am definitely ready to see other people now. We still cohabitate, we’re civil, we’re buds, but I think we’ve moved on.”

Sometimes, the two even go together, as she recently filmed a horror movie with her friends via Zoom (keep an eye out for that!).

Before the pandemic, she wrapped up filming for The Stand, a CBS All Access' limited-series adaptation of Stephen King's classic novel.

It’s a much different role than Kat’s used to. “It had been a long time since I played a villain,” she says. “So that was kind of refreshing in a sense.”

Taking on this new role for size meant relearning a lot of new things, like walking in heels and dressing up in sequins, jewels, and glitter.

“I was so used to being in blood and boots and leather,” she says with a laugh. “That’s my favorite part of my job.”

This was understandably frustrating. “I was within weeks of starting them and then everything got put on hold. Every week, I hear some update on it, so we’re waiting with bated breath to go back to work.”

But taking time off has been good to the star, who says that she hasn't had this much time off in almost 10 years. “It’s been a good learning curve for me since I’m not used to sitting still. I feel as if I’m in constant limbo, but I’m a stubborn optimist. So I’m just figuring it out as I go, as we all are.”

While nothing is currently in the works, she does say that she’s not done with Mia Smoak yet. “Worst-case scenario, I’ll be able to come back in another show or a crossover, but we would very much like to see the show happen.”

Shadowhunters fans shouldn't cross out a reunion, either. “If Friends can have a reunion, then Shadowhunters can have a reunion,” she says.

In addition to these iconic roles, there is another that the actress takes very seriously: being a role model for women.

“As a young girl, I looked up to other people and I had role models of my own and I was always looking for these kind of characters to look up to."

She says that her favorite Disney princesses growing up were Mulan and Pocahontas. "The women who fought their own battles.”

She’s met so many incredible women over the years at conventions and Comic-Cons. “I’ve gotten to hear their stories and the friends they’ve made and the things that they’ve been inspired by.”

At the end of the day, she’s so grateful for the fans and the roles she gets to play.

“I love every project that I do and every role I’m a part of so intensely. So the fact that it can help someone or inspire someone, that’s the biggest gift I could ever ask for.”