What Elton John has said about his health as he reveals sight loss
Elton John has revealed that he has "lost his eyesight", which left him unable to view his new musical, The Devil Wears Prada.
The iconic singer, 77, appeared at the gala opening of the new theatre production on Sunday night 1 December and told the audience: "I haven't been able to come to many of the previews because, as you know, I have lost my eyesight.
"So it's hard for me to see it, but I love to hear it and boy, it sounded good tonight."
Last week, John said he hasn’t been able to see in his right eye for the past four months, after contracting an undisclosed infection during the summer.
He has said his poor vision has meant he can't finish his upcoming album, as his left eye "is not the greatest" either.
The 77-year-old musician has suffered with a number of health conditions over the past few years including a battle with prostate cancer as well as knee and hip replacements.
Elton John's latest health update
On ABC News’ Good Morning America, John was asked when his album with frequent collaborator Bernie Taupin would be released, he replied: "I don't know. It's been a while since I've done anything.”
"I unfortunately lost my eyesight in my right eye in July because I had an infection in the south of France and it's been four months now since I haven't been able to see, and my left eye is not the greatest.
"So, there's hope and encouragement that it will be okay, but... I'm kind of stuck at the moment, because I can do something like this [the interview], but going into the studio and recording, I don't know, because I can't see a lyric for a start."
The Rocketman singer added that these sight issues have "floored him" as he "can’t see anything" but his main focus is "to try and get better."
"It's never fortunate for anything like this to happen, and it kind of floored me. And I can't see anything, I can't read anything, can't watch anything," he said.
In September, John had told his Instagram followers that though it was a "slow process" he was "healing" after losing his eye from the infection.
"Over the summer," he wrote, "I’ve been dealing with a severe eye infection that has unfortunately left me with only limited vision in one eye. I am healing, but it’s an extremely slow process and it will take some time before sight returns to the impacted eye.
"I am so grateful for the excellent team of doctors and nurses and my family, who have taken such good care of me over the last several weeks. I have been quietly spending the summer recuperating at home, and am feeling positive about the progress I have made in my healing and recovery thus far."
What we don’t know
The legendary musician hasn't revealed what the infection was that caused his vision loss, so it's unclear what type of condition he is experiencing and how long it might take for him to regain his eyesight.
There's also no confirmation about when the album, which was scheduled to be released in December 2024, will be postponed to.
In May, Taupin had teased that the album was "ready" and on schedule and hinted that this "incredibly personal" album wouldn't be the last one John released, despite retiring from touring in 2023. He told Sky News: "It's all done, it's all in the can and ready to come out, I think, at the end of this year."
Elton John's health struggles
This is not the musician’s only health struggle in recent years either. In October, the singer joked that "there’s not much" of himself left after various ailments and surgeries.
"To be honest with you, there’s not much of me left," he told Page Six at a screening of his documentary, Elton John: Never Too Late at the New York Film Festival. "I don’t have tonsils, adenoids or an appendix. I don’t have a prostate. I don’t have a right hip or a left knee or a right knee. In fact, the only thing left to me is my left hip."
Additionally, after struggling with addiction during the 70s and 80s, John celebrated his 30 years sober anniversary in 2020. Speaking to Variety in 2019, the musician said: "I am a survivor. I’ve survived a lot of things. Life is full of pitfalls, even when you’re sober. I can deal with them now because I don’t have to run away and hide."
During that same year, John released his autobiography Me, which revealed that he had been diagnosed with prostate cancer two years earlier. He chose to have his prostate removed, rather than chemotherapy.
Read more about Elton John and health:
What to expect during a prostate exam, as Chris Hoy urges men to get checked (Yahoo Life, 4-min read)
Elton John gives update on lifestyle change after health scare (Independent, 2-min read)
Elton John says having children later in life was ‘the greatest thing I’ve ever done’ (Indpeendent, 3-min read)
