Legendary musician Elton John, 77, has revealed he has lost his eyesight following a prolonged battle with a “severe” eye infection. The shocking announcement came during his address at Dominion Theatre in London on Sunday night after the charity gala performance of The Devil Wears Prada: The Musical.
“As some of you may know, I have had issues and now I have lost my sight. I haven’t been able to see the performance, but I have enjoyed listening to it,” John told the audience, according to the BBC. He expressed gratitude to his husband, David Furnish, calling him his “rock” during the difficult period.
The Rocket Man singer wrote the original score for the musical, which stars Tony nominee Vanessa Williams and drew a star-studded audience that included Anna Wintour, Lily Collins, and Elizabeth Hurley. Despite his condition, John shared his enthusiasm for the production, saying, “Boy, it sounded good tonight! OK! Thank you for coming.”
John first addressed his eyesight challenges in September, explaining that a severe infection left him with 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,” he shared in a statement.
In a recent interview with Robin Roberts on Good Morning America, John elaborated on his struggles, revealing he lost vision in his right eye in July while in the South of France. “My left eye’s not the greatest, so there’s hope and encouragement that it will be OK, but I’m kind of stuck at the moment,” he said.
As he continues to navigate this challenging chapter, John remains hopeful for recovery, leaning on his family and music to stay positive.