"I can’t see anything": Elton John opens up about dealing with vision loss

The singer also reveals how this impairment is holding him back from making music

By Nardos Haile

Staff Writer

Published November 25, 2024 12:46PM (EST)

Elton John performs onstage during MFEI Spirit Of Life honoring Jay Marciano at Shrine Auditorium and Expo Hall on October 22, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Lester Cohen/Getty Images for City of Hope)
Elton John performs onstage during MFEI Spirit Of Life honoring Jay Marciano at Shrine Auditorium and Expo Hall on October 22, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Lester Cohen/Getty Images for City of Hope)

Elton John's new music is on pause as the singer continues to deal with an ongoing infection that has impaired his vision.

The 77-year-old singer explained on "Good Morning America" Monday that his previously reported eye infection has caused the decline of vision in his right eye and altogether halted the production of a new album announced last year.

He updated audiences, stating, “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’s not the greatest.”

Despite the challenges around the sudden vision impairment, John said he was optimistic. He said, “So, there’s hope and encouragement that it will be OK. But I’m kind of stuck in 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 start."

He further explained, "We’re taking an initiative to try and make it better. I can’t see anything, I can’t read anything, I can’t watch anything.”

In September, the musician shared on social media that he had been dealing with a "severe eye infection" that left him with limited vision in just his left eye. He said that he was healing but it has been an "extremely slow process and it will take some time before sight returns to the impacted eye."

The Disney+ documentary "Elton John: Never Too Late," will be released on Dec. 13.

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