Elton John Reveals He's Lost His Eyesight

Elton John revealed that he’s lost his eyesight at a gala event celebrating his new musical, The Devil Wears Prada.

On Sunday (1 December), the Tiny Dancer singer and his husband, David Furnish, addressed the audience at The Devil Wears Prada musical charity gala night in London. John wrote the music for the show but couldn’t see it performed before him.

Thanking his husband and describing him as his “rock,” John said, “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.”

In September, John stated that he experienced a “severe” eye infection in July that left him with “limited vision” in one eye.

“Over the summer, I've been dealing with a severe eye infection that has unfortunately left me with only limited vision in one eye,” he wrote to fans on social media.

“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.”

John added that he’d “quietly” spent the UK summer “recuperating at home” and expressed positivity about his progress, healing, and recovery.

John ended his statement by sending “love and gratitude” to his devoted fans.

The musician’s problems with his eyesight are even affecting work on a new album, John said in an interview with Good Morning America last week (per The Guardian).

“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,” he shared.

“So, there’s hope and encouragement that it will be OK, 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.”

Elton John has enjoyed a 50-year career of writing and performing music worldwide. He wrapped up his final tour of Australia last January (which was ultimately delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic).

In a review of Elton John’s Farewell Yellow Brick Road concert at Sydney’s Allianz Stadium last January, The Music’s Mick Radojkovic wrote: “There will never be another Elton John. His legacy will long outlast him, and the pleasure was all ours as Sydney glistened into the summer night and we headed back to our plough.”