In 1927 Steer began to lose the sight in one eye but he continued to paint, although mostly in watercolours rather than in oils, and his compositions became much looser, at times almost abstract but by 1940 he had stopped painting.
From 1927, Steer experienced vision loss in one eye but continued to paint, predominantly with watercolours instead of oils, and his compositions became more abstract over time. By 1940, he no longer painted.