Elton John is staying optimistic about regaining his sight after losing vision in his right eye last year. "I've had the most incredible life, and there is hope," the Grammy winner, 78, told Variety in a cover story published Tuesday, November 25. "I've just gotta be patient that someday science will help me with this one. Once they help me with this one, I'll be fine. It's exactly like the AIDS situation. You mustn't give up hope, you must be stoic, you must be strong and you must always try and batter the door down to try and improve things." While the "Your Song" artist is keeping a positive outlook, he admitted that his vision loss hasn't made things easy. "It's been devastating," he explained. "Because I lost my right eye and my left eye's not so good, the last 15 months have been challenging for me because I haven't been able to see anything, watch anything, read anything." Elton John's Biggest Health Ups and Downs Through the Years Despite those challenges, however, he's still able to play music. Last month, he performed at the Formula 1 Grand Prix in Singapore, and he's set to headline Rock in Rio next year. "I mean, you just have to grin and bear it. It does get me down sometimes," John told the outlet of his vision loss. "But on the whole, I've got a wonderful family; I have two great kids; I have [husband David Furnish]. Paul McCartney FaceTimes me to see how I'm doing. It's really beautiful. The love I've received from him and from Pete Townshend and Mick Jagger and people like that have been amazing. Or you get an email from Keith Richards saying, 'Hello, darling, how you doing? You know we love you,' and that's it, but it just makes my day." John revealed in September 2024 that he was recovering from a "severe eye infection" that he contracted while vacationing in France. Elton John Says He 'Can't See Anything' Out of Right Eye After Infection "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 via Instagram at the time. "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 thus far." In April of this year, John confirmed that his sight had not drastically improved in the months since his initial statement. "I can see you, but I can't see TV, I can't read," he told the U.K.'s Times of London. "I can't see my boys playing rugby and soccer, and it has been a very stressful time because I'm used to soaking it all up." He continued, "It's distressing. You get emotional, but you have to get used to it because I'm lucky to have the life I have. I still have my wonderful family, and I can still see something out of [my left eye]. So you say to yourself, 'Just get on with it.'" Elton John Explains Why He Doesn't Like to Listen to His Classic Songs John and Furnish, 63, tied the knot in 2014 and share sons Zachary, 14, and Elijah, 12. In 2023, the Oscar winner officially retired from touring in order to spend more time with his family, though he does still play one-off shows like his gig at the Singapore Grand Prix. He also still records new music, releasing his latest album, Who Believes in Angels? with Brandi Carlile, in April. "I'm singing better than I've ever done before, and I'm playing really well, and I'm enjoying it, and that is helping me a lot," John told Variety. "Music has been my whole life and has given me so much and takes me on journeys that I never thought I would ever go on - and it's still doing that. I just like doing the odd thing. It pays the rent very well, and it keeps me musical. I just can't wait to go into the studio now and write some new songs and go from there."