Elton John's health woes through the years: as singer reveals 'limited eyesight'

The Rocketman singer has had numerous surgeries and health issues over the years

Online News Writer & Diversity and Inclusion Lead

2 minutes agoNov 26, 2024, 3:45 PM GMT

Elton John has confessed his fears that he might not return to the recording studio as his eyesight continues to deteriorate, with the singer admitting on Good Morning America that he was blind in the right eye following an infection.

Over the years, the I'm Still Standing hitmaker has had several health issues, including an eating disorder and fractured bones following falls. In recent interviews, the 77-year-old has even reflected on his own mortality, admitting: "This is the latter time of my life. I don't know how much time I have left."

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As the star's health returns to the spotlight, here's all you need to know about his previous conditions…

Bulimia

Elton has been open about his previous issues with bulimia, something that he had in common with his close friend, the late Princess Diana. In an interview with Larry King, Elton was asked whether he knew about the royal's battle with the illness. He responded: "Yes, I did. We were both bulimic."

Princess Diana talking with Elton John — Elton and Diana both had bulimia

In 2019, Elton explained further about his time with the condition to his unofficial biographer. "I was bulimic for six years," he explained to Philip Norman. "It was all through being paranoid about my weight but not able to stop eating. So in the end I'd gorge, then make myself sick."

He added: "For breakfast I'd have a fry-up, followed by 20 pots of cockles and then a tub of ice cream, so I'd throw it all up. I never stood still. I was always rushing, always thinking about the next thing. If I was eating a curry, I couldn't wait to throw it up so that I could have the next one."

Addictions

Although the music legend is now entirely sober, the star has been open about his issues with addiction in the past. In 2012, he confessed to NPR: "I still dream, twice a week at least, that I've taken cocaine and I have it up my nose. And it's very vivid and it's very upsetting, but at least it's a wake-up call."

His addictions ended up fuelling his bulimia and he told Piers Morgan in a 2010 interview: "This is how bleak it was: I'd stay up, I'd smoke joints, I'd drink a bottle of Johnnie Walker and then I'd stay up for three days and then I'd go to sleep for a day and half, get up.

Black-and-white photograph of Elton John — The singer became addicted to drugs during his early career

"And because I was so hungry, because I hadn't eaten anything, I'd binge and have like three bacon sandwiches, a pot of ice cream and then I'd throw it up, because I became bulimic and then go and do the whole thing all over again."

He told the presenter that he had come "very close" to death because of his addictions, adding: "I mean, I would have an epileptic seizure and turn blue, and people would find me on the floor and put me to bed, and then 40 minutes later I'd be snorting another line."

Elton John sitting with Piers Morgan — Elton opened up about his drug use on Piers Morgan's Life Stories

Speaking in 2017, Elton said that meeting Ryan White, a teenager who contracted HIV through a blood transfusion, helped him to kick his addictions.

During a talk at Harvard University, the star explained: "I had the luck to meet Ryan White and his family. I wanted to help them, but they ended up helping me much more. Ryan was the spark that helped me to recover from my addictions and start the AIDS Foundation. Within six months [of White's death] I became sober, and clean, and have been for 27 years."

Appendicitis

In 2013, the singer cancelled a Hyde Park appearance after falling ill. It turned out that Elton required immediate surgery due to appendicitis. In an interview with the Telegraph at the time, he said: "I knew I was sick but I didn't know I had such a dangerous thing inside of me until I had a scan, which was after nine shows, 24 flights and a summer ball. I could have easily died."

Elton John in a blue suit sitting at a piano — Elton had appendicitis in 2013

Elton added: "This is a wake-up call. I'm 66 not 36 anymore. I want to write another musical for Broadway and I want to spend more time with my children. I don't have to tour. I don't need the money. I just love playing.

"When I had the operation, I said: 'This has got to stop, this is crazy, why am I doing this?' I'm a great believer in signs coming to you in life to tell you something. This appendix thing, it's so lucky I didn't die."

Bacterial infection

In 2017, Elton was forced to cancel dates on his US tour and spent two days in intensive care after the singer contracted a bacterial infection.

Elton John walking onto a stage in a purple and red suit — Elton nearly died from an infection in 2017

His management said the infection was "rare and potentially deadly," and Elton later said: "I am so fortunate to have the most incredible and loyal fans and apologise for disappointing them. I am extremely grateful to the medical team for their excellence in looking after me so well."

Surgeries

Elton has undergone numerous surgeries during his life, including knee operations and hip replacements. At the 2024 premiere of Never Too Late, he joked: "I don't have tonsils, adenoids or an appendix. I don't have a prostate. I don't have a right hip or a left knee or a right knee. In fact, the only thing left to me is my left hip."

Elton John's 'knee' necklace — Elton now wears a necklace made from one of his replaced knees

Speaking with the Sun, Elton's husband, David Furnish noted: "He's doing amazing. He's having another knee done in a couple of weeks and by the time the summer rolls around, he'll have two brand new spanking knees."

Blindness

In September, Elton said that he had been left with "limited eyesight" following a "severe eye infection".

"Over the summer, I've been dealing with a severe eye infection that has unfortunately left me with 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 in an Instagram post.

Elton John sitting down holding an Attitude Award — Elton has been experiencing sight issues recently

"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. 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 so far."

In November, during an interview with Good Morning America, Elton admitted it had been "a while since I've done anything". He told Robin Roberts: "I can do something like this [interview] but going into the studio and recording, I don't know, because I can't see a lyric for start.

Robin Roberts in a purple dress standing with Elton John sat at a piano — The singer spoke to Robin Roberts about his woes

"It's never fortunate for anything like this to happen, and it kind of floored me and I can't see anything, I can't read anything, I can't watch anything."

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