Elton John’s Serious Health Problems Over the Years

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Elton John wrapped his multi-year farewell tour in July 2023 but struggled with his health along the way.

The 77-year-old musician revealed he was dealing with a major diagnosis at the time and was worried he might not survive it, noting that he was very close to death, according to Sky News. Yet, he continued working.

Elton gave fans another health update in December 2024 while appearing on stage at The Devil Wears Prada: The Musical in London, revealing that he has lost his eyesight. “As some of you may know I have had issues and now I have lost my sight,” he said, per CNN. “I haven’t been able to see the performance but I have enjoyed it.”

Elton has faced a few other health issues over his career, seemingly overcoming most of them. The musician has been open about his struggles, including surgeries and maintaining his sobriety.

Here’s what to know about the iconic singer’s other serious health problems over the years.

Cancer

Elton was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2017, but didn’t tell the public until 2019, when he revealed it in his memoir titled Me. According to Us Weekly, Elton canceled several shows that year, citing a “rare and potentially deadly” bacterial infection — which he contracted in South America causing him to stay in the hospital for eleven days, according to BBC.

Elton ultimately chose to have his prostate removed instead of doing chemotherapy. However, he still struggled with the possibility of dying.

“I wonder what is going to happen to all of this stuff when I finish? This is the latter time of my life. I don’t know how much time I have left,” Elton admitted in his 2024 documentary, Elton John: Never Too Late. “And you think about that more when you get to my age. You think about life and death. You think: Well, I just want to be where I want to be now.”

Heart problems

According to Express, Elton had surgery for a pacemaker fitting in 1999 after being diagnosed with an irregular heartbeat. The surgery happened because the “Tiny Dancer” singer “collapsed” while flying to Victoria and David Beckham’s wedding that year.

“It came as a bit of a shock, but the operation was a simple procedure,” Elton shared to reporters after being discharged from the hospital, per the publication.

“The only long-term effect is that I have to carry a card explaining why I set off the alarms when I walk through airport security,” he added.

Eyesight

After Elton’s announcement about losing his eyesight, many fans might have questions about what caused it. According to The Guardian, Elton revealed in September 2024, that he contracted a severe eye infection over the summer while in France. This led him to have “limited vision” in his left eye, only to reveal this week that his vision worsened in both eyes.

“I am healing, but it’s an extremely slow process and it will take some time before sight returns to the impacted eye,” Elton shared on Instagram in September. “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.”

During Elton’s appearance at The Devil Wears Prada, he did point out that one of his other senses is still strong, even if his sight isn’t. “I love to hear it and, boy, it sounded good tonight,” Elton said about the production, which he did the music for.