Elton John has revealed he is now completely blind in his right eye and has only limited vision in his left following a severe infection last year, describing the experience as “devastating” and “distressing”.
The infection developed in mid-2024 while the 78-year-old was on holiday in the south of France, rapidly affecting both eyes and prompting urgent treatment from specialists in Europe and the UK.
While doctors were able to preserve partial vision in his left eye, his right eye is permanently blind.
Elton has said the past 15 months have been marked by an inability to properly read, watch television or enjoy the small, ordinary things most people don’t think twice about.
Behind the scenes, his family has been quietly adapting.
His husband, filmmaker David Furnish, says specialists have achieved “some improvements” in Elton’s left eye, and the family continues to pursue every available medical option.
Elton has spoken candidly about no longer being able to clearly see his sons, Zachary and Elijah, playing rugby and football, calling the loss of such ordinary family moments one of the harshest consequences of his condition.
Despite the decline in his eyesight, the support surrounding him remains strong. Elton says close friends including Sir Paul McCartney, Sir Mick Jagger and Pete Townshend frequently check in, often via FaceTime so he can see their faces clearly on an iPad.
He also keeps in close contact with younger artists like Chappell Roan and Brandi Carlile, calling Carlile “one of my best friends” and crediting this group of musicians with lifting his spirits.
Although he stepped back from large-scale touring after his 330-date Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour and his 2023 Glastonbury headline set, Elton continues to perform and attend major events.
He has agreed to headline a major festival in Brazil in 2026 and remains a presence at industry gatherings, navigating stages and red carpets with low vision.
Furnish says the family is hopeful as advances in eye medicine accelerate, from AI-driven diagnostics to emerging treatments that may one day restore vision.
Elton has spoken about “being patient” and trusting that “someday science will help” his remaining eye, placing his attention on the family and career he treasures instead of what the condition has cost him.
Images: Instagram
