Sir Elton John opened up about his ongoing struggles with vision loss during an appearance at the 2025 Golden Globes, blending humour with heartfelt honesty. The iconic musician and songwriter joined Brandi Carlile on stage to present the award for Best Film Score, but took a moment to address the headlines surrounding his health.
“I don’t know if you know, but there’s been a lot of stories going around about my regressive eyesight, and I just wanted to reassure everybody that it’s not as bad as it seems,” John joked, adding, “So, I’m so pleased to be here with my co-host, Rihanna.”
The light-hearted comment drew laughs from the audience, but it also highlighted the significant challenges John has been facing.
In November 2024, John revealed during an interview on Good Morning America that an infection over the summer had caused him to lose sight in his right eye.
“I unfortunately lost my eyesight in my right eye in July, because I had an infection in the south of France,” he shared with Robin Roberts. “It’s been four months now since I haven’t been able to see.”
John also disclosed that his left eye has been affected, making daily tasks and his creative work more difficult. “There’s hope and encouragement that it will be OK, but I’m kind of stuck in the moment,” he explained.
The 76-year-old artist admitted that his vision struggles have impacted his ability to record and perform, saying, “I can’t see a lyric, for a start. I can’t read anything. I can’t watch anything. It’s never fortunate for something like this to happen, and it kind of floored me.”
Despite the challenges, John remains hopeful as he works with specialists to improve his condition.
Elton John’s candid update on his health reminds fans of his resilience and determination. While presenting the Golden Globe for Best Film Score, which went to Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross for Challengers, John’s humour and positive attitude shone through.
His appearance, alongside Brandi Carlile, also spotlighted their recent collaboration, Never Too Late, which inspired the title of his Disney+ documentary, Elton John: Never Too Late.
Even amid personal challenges, John’s ability to connect with audiences and share his journey remains as impactful as ever.
