The renowned five-time Grammy winner revealed on social media last September that he was struggling with a “serious eye infection,” which has left him with “limited” vision in one eye. The 77-year-old musician made light of his condition during the awards ceremony, where he presented the award for best original score alongside Americana artist Brandi Carlile.

“I don’t know if you’ve heard, but there have been many rumors about my declining eyesight,” John joked. “So I’m here to prove to everyone that it’s not as bad as it seems, and I’m happy to be co-hosting with Rihanna.”

The crowd erupted in laughter at the joke, and Carlile proceeded to give the award to Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross for their work on the soundtrack for the movie “Challengers.”

In recent interviews, John has discussed his vision loss extensively. He told “Good Morning America” in November that he was shocked by the loss of sight in his right eye.

“It has been four months now where I’ve been unable to see,” he said. “And my left eye isn’t doing too well either. There’s some hope for recovery, but right now, I’m sort of stuck, because I can manage to do interviews like this, but recording in the studio is a challenge since I can’t see the lyrics to begin with.”

“I literally cannot see anything,” he added. “I can’t read, and I can’t watch anything.”

John, who last won a Golden Globe in 2020 for the film “Rocketman,” is now in the running for a new documentary titled “Never Too Late.”

The celebrated singer, with five Grammy Awards to his name, concluded his final tour last summer. He postponed several shows in 2021 to undergo hip surgery after experiencing mobility issues following a fall.

In August 2023, John was also admitted to the hospital following an accident at home. A spokesperson for YSL News stated that he was “discharged promptly” and was reported to be in good health after examinations.