Elton John Says He Has Lost His Eyesight

Elton John has revealed that he is still unable to see several months after suffering a severe eye infection. The 77-year-old singer spoke about his condition during a gala performance of The Devil Wears Prada musical in London on Sunday, where he expressed gratitude toward his husband, David Furnish, who has been a strong support throughout his recovery.

John shared with 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.” He was involved in the musical as the composer of the score.

In a previous interview with Good Morning America, John explained that the vision issue has significantly affected his ability to work. “I unfortunately lost my eyesight in my right eye in July due to an infection in the south of France, and it’s been four months now since I haven’t been able to see. My left eye is not the greatest either,” he said. While expressing hope that his sight might improve, he admitted, “I’m kind of stuck at the moment, because I can do something like this (an interview), but going into the studio and recording, I don’t know, because I can’t see a lyric for a start.”

John first disclosed the extent of his vision impairment in September via a post on his Instagram. He described dealing with a “severe eye infection that has unfortunately left me with only limited vision in one eye,” but reassured fans that he was on the road to recovery, though slowly. “It will take some time before sight returns to the impacted eye,” he shared, thanking the medical professionals who have cared for him.

Though John retired from touring in 2023 after decades of live performances, he continues to work creatively, having composed the music for The Devil Wears Prada musical, which is based on Lauren Weisberger’s 2003 novel and the 2006 film adaptation.