Elton John has made a candid confession about his health after suffering a severe eye infection.
The legendary British musician, 77, spoke about his condition in an interview with Good Morning America’s Robin Roberts on Monday (November 25). “I unfortunately lost my eyesight in my right eye in July because I had an infection in the South of France,” John said. “It’s been four months now since I haven’t been able to see. My left eye is not the greatest.”
The EGOT winner continued: “There’s hope and encouragement that it will be okay, but I’m kind of stuck in the moment because I can do something like this, but going into the studio and recording, I don’t know. Because I can’t see a lyric for start.”
John explained that he and his doctors are “taking an initiative” to treat his eye problems, but maintained that “it’s never fortunate for anything like this to happen.”
“It kind of floored me, and I can’t see anything. I can’t read anything, I can’t watch anything,” he said.
Despite his health challenges, the “I’m Still Standing” singer described himself as “the luckiest man in the world” ahead of the premiere of his upcoming Disney+ documentary, Elton John: Never Too Late.
“I’m so proud of the documentary. I’m proud of my sons. I’m proud of my attitude toward myself and what’s going on,” he said. “I’m just very lucky and I’m very grateful.”
In September, the “Yellow Brick Road” singer revealed he was slowly healing from a “severe eye infection” that had left his vision impaired.
“Over the summer, 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,” John said in an Instagram statement shared on September 3.
.@eltonofficial shares a glimpse into his personal life with new documentary, "Elton John: Never Too Late." The music legend revealed to @robinroberts that he lost sight in his right eye in July due to an infection. pic.twitter.com/sKza3RMbQo
— Good Morning America (@GMA) November 25, 2024
“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.”
In January, John underwent knee replacement surgery. The procedure left him unable to attend the postponed Emmys ceremony, where he completed his EGOT status after winning the Outstanding Variety Special (Live) category.
He underwent a second knee replacement on his other knee in March, joking months later that “there’s not much” of him left after his various surgeries and health issues.
“To be honest with you, there’s not much of me left,” John said at the New York Film Festival screening of his documentary in October. “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.
Addressing his fans, he added: “But I’m still here. And I can’t thank you [enough]; you’re the people that made me.”
John retired from touring last year. Elton John: Never Too Late, directed by RJ Cutler, hits Disney+ on December 13.
