why does gabrielle wear an eye patch

Gabrielle wears an eye patch because she has a medical condition called ptosis, which is the drooping of one eyelid. This condition has affected her since childhood. She initially wore the eye patch around the time of her debut hit "Dreams" in 1993. Wearing the eye patch was a way to manage insecurities about her eye, and she described it as "truly empowering" and a "game changer" for her confidence and career. Gabrielle has mentioned that before wearing the eye patch, she would avoid eye contact due to embarrassment about her eyelid, but the patch helped her feel comfortable and confident when interacting with others. Although she only wore the patch for about a year, it became a significant part of her public image, and she has used hairstyles to cover the affected eye since then. Her condition and choice to wear the eye patch have also inspired others with similar challenges to embrace their differences.