Elton John. Theo Wargo/Getty Images for Elton John AIDS Foundation
Elton John is on the mend after a “severe eye infection” impaired his vision.
“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 singer, 77, said in a statement shared via Instagram on Tuesday, September 3. “I am healing, but it’s an extremely slow process and it will take some time before sight returns to the impacted eye.”
John shared he was “so grateful” for the team of doctors and nurses plus his family who was caring for him for the “last several weeks” as he recovered from the ailment. (John is married to husband, David Furnish, and the couple share sons, Zachary, 13, and Elijah, 11.)
“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 continued before signing the letter “with love and gratitude.”
Several stars wished the “Rocket Man” musician a speedy recovery in the comments section.
“Sending our love and support your way. Feel better soon, friend,” tennis icon Billie Jean King responded, while Donatella Versace wrote, “Sending you so much love Elton! Feel better soon. Love you ♥️♥️♥️.”
This isn’t the first time John has suffered a health scare. Earlier this year, he could not attend the Emmys due to getting knee surgery. While he missed the award show, John won Outstanding Variety Special (Live) for his Disney+ concert special titled Elton John Live: Farewell from Dodger Stadium. After receiving the award, John officially became a member of the exclusive EGOT club.
The year before his surgery, John was hospitalized after he suffered a fall at his home in Nice, France.
“We can confirm that following a slip yesterday at his home in the South of France, Elton visited the local hospital as a precautionary measure,” a rep for John told Us Weekly in August 2023. “Following checkups, he was immediately discharged this morning and is now back at home and in good health.”
Before that accident, John suffered a fall in late 2021 which caused him to postpone the Europe and U.K. dates of his Farewell tour to 2023. After completing the tour, John has been adamant about his retirement from touring. In a joint Entertainment Tonight interview with Furnish, 61, the couple shared that they plan on focusing on their family as their sons continue to grow up.
“We’ve got our sons, you know, they’re getting into their teenage years now,” Furnish said in August. “We don’t want to miss anything. We want to be present for that. It’s sort of a key decade, I think, in a child’s life. He’s been doing it for 60 years, so it’s nice to have that time to spend at home with family.”