Elton John Says He’s Lost His Eyesight While Telling Audience at His Musical 'I Can't See the Stage'

Mar. 15, 2025

Elton John attends ‘The Devil Wears Prada: The Musical’ charity gala night on Dec. 1, 2024.Photo:Dave Benett/Getty

Dave Benett/Getty

Elton Johnis sharinganother update about his eyesight.During the opening-night premiere ofTheDevil Wears Prada: The Musicalin London on Sunday, Dec. 1, the 77-year-old musician addressed the audience and revealed that he could not see the show due to his vision.“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 it,” the Grammy winner said onstage, per theDaily Mail.The outlet reported that the musician’s husband,David Furnish, helped him get down from the stage. John also credited Furnish, 62, with helping him through his vision issues, telling the crowd: “To my husband, who’s been my rock because I haven’t been able to come to many of the previews … it’s hard for me to see it, but I love to hear it and it sounded good tonight.“The PEOPLE Puzzler crossword is here! How quickly can you solve it? Play now!The “Rocket Man” singer previously revealed in a post onInstagramback in September that he had contracted an infection, noting at the time that he had “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,” he wrote at the time.“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,” John continued. “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.“Elton John in 2023.Theo Wargo/GettyNever miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.In an interview withGood Morning Americain November, John confirmed that he had lost vision in his right eye while vacationing in July. The vision loss was due to an eye infection he sustained while spending the summer in the south of France, he noted.“It kind of floored me, and I can’t see anything. I can’t read anything, I can’t watch anything,” he explained. He added that his “left eye’s not the greatest,” which prevented him from reading lyrics, but said he’s “taking the initiative to try and get it better.“Elsewhere in theGMAinterview, John shared that it had “been a while since I’ve done anything” in the studio.“There’s hope and encouragement that it will be okay, but I’m kind of stuck at the moment … going into the studio and recording, I don’t know,” he said.

Elton Johnis sharinganother update about his eyesight.

During the opening-night premiere ofTheDevil Wears Prada: The Musicalin London on Sunday, Dec. 1, the 77-year-old musician addressed the audience and revealed that he could not see the show due to his vision.

“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 it,” the Grammy winner said onstage, per theDaily Mail.

The outlet reported that the musician’s husband,David Furnish, helped him get down from the stage. John also credited Furnish, 62, with helping him through his vision issues, telling the crowd: “To my husband, who’s been my rock because I haven’t been able to come to many of the previews … it’s hard for me to see it, but I love to hear it and it sounded good tonight.”

The PEOPLE Puzzler crossword is here! How quickly can you solve it? Play now!

The “Rocket Man” singer previously revealed in a post onInstagramback in September that he had contracted an infection, noting at the time that he had “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,” he wrote at the time.

“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,” John continued. “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.”

Elton John in 2023.Theo Wargo/Getty

Theo Wargo/Getty

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

In an interview withGood Morning Americain November, John confirmed that he had lost vision in his right eye while vacationing in July. The vision loss was due to an eye infection he sustained while spending the summer in the south of France, he noted.

“It kind of floored me, and I can’t see anything. I can’t read anything, I can’t watch anything,” he explained. He added that his “left eye’s not the greatest,” which prevented him from reading lyrics, but said he’s “taking the initiative to try and get it better.”

Elsewhere in theGMAinterview, John shared that it had “been a while since I’ve done anything” in the studio.

“There’s hope and encouragement that it will be okay, but I’m kind of stuck at the moment … going into the studio and recording, I don’t know,” he said.

source: people.com