The Senate Democratic leader , Harry Reid , says he may never again see out of one eye . ' I am sightless in my right eye , ' he told Fusion and Univision anchor Jorge Ramos . Reid said he is 'over ' the fear that he may not regain vision in that eye following a New Year 's Day exercise accident that left him battered and bruised because ' I can ’ t see out of my eye , and that ’ s the way it ’ s going to be until something comes along that ’ ll change it . ' 'Right now , I ’ ve had 11 hours of surgery . They ’ ve tried . I can ’ t see out of my right eye . And that ’ s okay , I can live with that , ' he said , according to Fusion . SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO . Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid is pictured here on Monday in his home state of Nevada . Reid said in an interview this week that he might not ever be able to see out of his right eye again following a January accident . The lawmaker 's tale of how he came to sustain broken bones in his face while working out in his Nevada home with a plastic exercise band is one that has been questioned , mostly by conservatives , especially after Reid announced last month that he would retire . A March 31 Breitbart News story regaled the layout of Reid 's Searchlight home and the master bathroom , where Reid says the accident occurred . Rumors have persisted since the January 1 accident that the Nevada mob may have been involved , even though there 's no evidence to suggest the Reid was the victim of an organized attack . Last week the conservative Powerline blog suggested that Reid may have been beat up by his brother , Larry . Recounting a story brought forward by a man who says he attended an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting with Larry , it suggested , based on the account , that Larry and Harry may have tussled on the day in question . Referring indirectly to the rumors , Ramos told Reid , 'It looked like somebody had hit you . ' Reid told the news anchor in turn that he was 'fortunate ' the band only hit him in the temple . Going into further detail about the incident than he had in the past , the 75-year-old former boxer said he was using the band because ' I was trying to maintain my firmness . ' 'That was my weight training , ' he said . Reid explained that he was exercising in his new home in Nevada at the time when the strip 'slipped , spun me around , about , I guess four feet . ' ' I smashed my face into a cabinet so hard ... ' he said trailing off as Ramos interrupted him with another question . Rumors have persisted since the January 1 accident that the Nevada mob may have been involved , even though there 's no evidence to suggest the Reid was the victim of an organized attack . Reid is pictured here on February 3 during a Capitol Hill news conference . The longtime lawmaker , upon announcing his retirement last month , insisted his departure from the Senate was not related to the accident . And he told Ramos in the interview that aired on Tuesday that he was leaving the legislative body in two years when his current term expires because ' I want to remembered for my first 34 years in congress , not my last six . ' One of the most memorable moments from Reid 's career in recent years was his 2012 charge that the GOP 's nominee for president , Mitt Romney , did n't pay his taxes for a decade . Reid first made the accusation during an interview with the Huffington Post , and several days later repeated it on the Senate floor . Then the highest-ranking Senator , Reid said his evidence came from former Bain Capitol colleagues of Romney 's . Reid told Ramos in the Fusion interview that the episode had been 'blown way out of proportion . ' 'Mitt Romney , during the time he was running for President , refused to give us his tax returns . When I ran for the Senate in 1974 that was an issue , tax returns , ' Reid said . 'This has been an issue of mine for a long time . ' The Democratic leader said the onus remains on Romney to produce evidence that he did pay his taxes . Reid also refused to give up the sources of his information that Romney may not have . 'Of course he paid taxes . What he did n't do is let us see his tax returns , ' Reid told Ramos , claiming he 's said as much 'many many times . ' 'Let him give us his tax returns . Let the American people judge that , ' he stated . Reid said he has 'no repentance ' for dragging Romney through the mud because 'it is an issue that was important . ' Asked if he had any apologies for Romney Reid was just as direct . 'Oh none , whatsoever . Zero . None , ' the retiring lawmaker said .
'Right now , I ’ ve had 11 hours of surgery . They ’ ve tried . I can ’ t see out of my right eye . And that ’ s not the worst thing in the world! The 75-year-old former boxer says he was exercising in his new home in Nevada when his exercise band 'slipped ' and spun him around . ' I smashed my face into a cabinet so hard ... ' Reid said . The longtime lawmaker , upon announcing his retirement last month , insisted his departure from the Senate was not related to the accident . Reflecting on his career , Reid said he has 'no repentance ' for claiming Mitt Romney did n't pay his taxes because 'it is an issue that was important '