Sir Elton John is to auction his huge collection of spectacles after he has corrective laser eye surgery next year.

The singer - who owns about 4,000 pairs - said he was sick of never being able to find them.

He revealed on ITV1's Frank Skinner Show that he is due to have laser surgery in February.

"I can't see anything, so why wait?" he said.

His eyewear used to be far more flamboyant

Recalling the first glasses he owned, Sir Elton said: "In those days you went to the opticians and you had two or three glasses to choose from - tortoiseshell or the round ones John Lennon used to wear.

"But now you can get everything.

"I'm just fed up with thinking 'where are they?'"

Sir Elton, 55, said he planned to auction his collection.

He has previously had three sales to clear out clothes from his flamboyant wardrobe.

The last, held two years ago, raised more than �400,000 for his Aids foundation.

Windscreen wipers

Sir Elton's spectacles, some of which are large, colourful and were worn on stage, are part of his image.

He once admitted to having bought 20,000 pairs over the years, including glasses with windscreen wipers, flashing lights and sun visors.

There was even a West End comedy called Elton John's Glasses, in which his beloved football team Watford lost the 1984 FA Cup Final when the goalkeeper was blinded by a flash of sunlight reflected on the star's glasses.