Elton John says he lost his eyesight following severe eye infection

Pop icon Elton John said on Sunday that he struggled to see his new musical, “The Devil Wears Prada” after losing his eyesight because of an eye infection.  

John gave audience members an update on his condition at the conclusion of the musical’s opening night at London’s Dominion Theatre, which was also a charity gala for the Elton John AIDS foundation. 

“I haven’t been able to come to many of the previews because, as you know, I’ve lost my eyesight so, it’s hard for me to see it,” he said. “But I love to hear it and it quite sounded good tonight.”  

John, 77, revealed in September that he had been dealing with a “severe eye infection” that left him with “only limited vision in one eye.” He said it was healing, but it “will take some time before sight returns to the impacted eye.” 

Last week, he told “Good Morning America” that there’s “hope and encouragement” that he will recover, but admits he can’t even see a lyric at the studio. 

“I can’t see anything, I can’t read anything, I can’t watch anything,” John said.

John retired from touring in 2023, but wrote the score for “The Devil Wears Prada,” a stage musical based on the 2006 movie (which itself was based on the 2003 novel by Lauren Weisberger) about a young journalist navigating the demands of a fashion magazine and its fearsome editor. In addition to the show, he has a documentary, “Elton John: Never Too Late” about him coming out on Dec. 13. 

The pop legend also achieved EGOT status earlier this year after winning an Emmy for outstanding variety special (live) for his show “Elton John Live: Farewell From Dodger Stadium.”