Sir Elton John has a "new respect for sight-impaired people"

He has now told The Guardian about the impact of the ordeal: "I'm an optimist permanently. I've got bad eyesight at the moment.

"There have been days where I've been miserable, but then I think about how lucky I am.

"I've got a new respect for sight-impaired people and people who are totally blind, some of whom I'm in touch with.

"But to hell with it, I've got a great life, and hopefully my sight will improve."

He spoke out ahead of the release of his new album 'Who Believes In Angels?', a collaboration with U.S. singer Brandi Carlile, which is set for release in the spring.

Co-written by Sir Elton's longtime songwriting partner Bernie Taupin and produced by Grammy winner Andrew Watt, it was recorded over 20 days in October 2023.

The project marks a departure for the singer-songwriter, who said he wanted to move beyond his past work.

He added: "I could do an 'Elton John' record easily. That's what I didn't want to do any more. I wanted a challenge. I wanted to put all my old stuff to bed."

Reflecting on the recording process, Sir Elton admitted to feeling uneasy, saying: "It wasn't me being anxious about other people, it was me being anxious about me.

"Once we got through the first three songs, we knew we had something. And I was much more relaxed... but I was a bit of a nightmare."

In September, Sir Elton disclosed in a social media post a "severe eye infection" had left him "with only limited vision in one eye".

He added: "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."