Elton John partially blind after 'severe eye infection'

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Elton John, 77, revealed on social media that he has been grappling with an eye infection that has impacted his vision.

“Over the summer, I’ve been dealing with a severe eye infection that has unfortunately left me with only limited vision in one eye,” the EGOT winner shared in a statement on Instagram. “I am healing, but it’s an extremely slow process and it will take some time before sight returns to the impacted eye.”

Over the past several years, the “Benny and the Jets” singer has experienced some trouble with his health.

Last year, John slipped at his villa in Nice, France, and visited a local hospital as a precaution but was able to recover at home and was “in good health."

In 2022, fans became worried when tabloids reported that the “Rocket Man” star was using wheelchair. He responded on Instagram to explain why he needed a wheelchair during his “Farewell Yellow Brick Road” tour, which ended in July 2023.

“After another rousing 2.5 hour show, we arrived at Leipzig airport, just before curfew to find part of the airport had closed,” he said at the time. “It was an extremely long walk to get to the plane, so my team kindly laid on a wheelchair so I could rest my hip after the show. That’s all folks.”

John had undergone hip surgery after he “fell awkwardly on a hard surface,” in September 2021. After that procedure, he postponed some of his farewell tour dates.

He also delayed his tour after contracting Covid-19 in January 2022.

The Associated Press reported at that time that John experienced “mild symptoms” during his infection and had been vaccinated and boosted.

For this recent eye infection, John said that he spent much of his summer “recuperating at home,” and feels grateful for the “excellent team of doctors and nurses and my family.” He said he’s optimistic about his future health.

“[I] am feeling positive about the progress I have made in my healing and recovery thus far," he said.

Pop icon Elton John said on Sunday that he struggled to see his new musical, "The Devil Wears Prada" after losing his eyesight because of an eye infection.

John gave audience members an update on his condition at the conclusion of the musical's opening night at London's Dominion Theatre, which was also a charity gala for the Elton John AIDS foundation.

"I haven't been able to come to many of the previews because, as you know, I've lost my eyesight so, it's hard for me to see it," he said. "But I love to hear it and it quite sounded good tonight."

John, 77, revealed in September that he had been dealing with a "severe eye infection" that left him with "only limited vision in one eye." He said it was healing, but it "will take some time before sight returns to the impacted eye."

Last week, he told "Good Morning America" that there's "hope and encouragement" that he will recover, but admits he can't even see a lyric at the studio.

"I can't see anything, I can't read anything, I can't watch anything," John said.

John retired from touring in 2023, but wrote the score for "The Devil Wears Prada," a stage musical based on the 2006 movie (which itself was based on the 2003 novel by Lauren Weisberger) about a young journalist navigating the demands of a fashion magazine and its fearsome editor. In addition to the show, he has a documentary, "Elton John: Never Too Late" about him coming out on Dec. 13.