Elton John Recovering After Severe Eye Infection Causes ‘Limited Vision’ in One Eye

Elton John performs during the Farewell Yellow Brick Road Tour at Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, Louisiana, on Jan. 19, 2022. Erika Goldring/Getty Images

British singer-songwriter Elton John took to social media on Tuesday to give fans an update on his health, revealing that he has been suffering from partial blindness due to an ongoing infection.

“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 “Rocket Man” singer wrote 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.”

John, 77, went on to express his gratitude for his “excellent team” of doctors and nurses and his family for taking “such good care” of him over the past few 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,” he wrote.

Previous Health Issues

John has faced various other health challenges over the past few years.

In 2017, the “Tiny Dancer” singer underwent treatment after being diagnosed with prostate cancer, including surgery to remove his prostate. John was subsequently hospitalized after contracting an infection while on tour in South America, an experience he reflected on in his 2019 tell-all memoir, “Me.”

“I had MRI scans and God knows how many other procedures. I just lay there feeling terrible, being wheeled here and there, having tubes stuck in me and taken out again, not really taking in what was going on,” he wrote.

In September 2021, the Grammy Award-winning singer was forced to postpone a series of shows for the European leg of his “Farewell Yellow Brick Road Tour” to undergo hip surgery after sustaining injuries from a fall.

“At the end of the summer break, I fell awkwardly on a hard surface and have been in considerable pain and discomfort in my hip ever since,” he wrote on X, formerly Twitter, at the time.

“I have been advised to have an operation as soon as possible to get me back to full fitness and make sure there are no long-term complications. I will be undertaking a program of intensive physiotherapy that will ensure a full recovery and a return to full mobility without pain,” he wrote.

John was also hospitalized in August last year after slipping and falling at his villa in Nice, France.

A statement shared with Today shortly after the incident noted that the “Crocodile Rock” singer had sought medical help “as a precautionary measure.” After spending the night in the hospital, John was discharged the following morning and was reported to be “in good health.”

Earlier this year, John underwent double knee replacement surgery after experiencing mobility issues caused by arthritis.

‘Never Too Late’

John launched his debut album, “Empty Sky,” in 1969. He rose to fame the following year with the release of his self-titled sophomore album, “Elton John,” which featured his breakthrough single “Your Song.”

Subsequent albums include “Madman Across the Water” (1971), “Honky Château” (1972), “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road” (1973), “Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy” (1975), and “Too Low for Zero” (1983).

After revealing plans to retire from touring to spend more time with his family, John embarked on his final tour in 2018. His “Farewell Yellow Brick Road” tour, which ended in Stockholm, Sweden, in July 2023, concluded over 50 years on the road.

John’s life and career were the subject of the 2019 biographical musical drama “Rocketman,” in which the singer served as an executive producer. Actor Taron Egerton portrayed John in the film, and starred alongside Jamie Bell, Bryce Dallas Howard, and Steven Mackintosh.

John’s latest project—a documentary titled “Elton John: Never Too Late!”—is set to debut at the Toronto International Film Festival on Sept. 6.

“It’s here! Very excited to share the first look at the key art for Elton John: Never Too Late!” John wrote on Instagram about the film, which is set to stream on Disney+ on Dec. 13 following its festival premiere.

“This documentary is such a special journey through the memories, music, and moments that have shaped my life.”