In a candid discussion during a recent ITV interview alongside fellow actor Ian McKellen, Judi Dench revealed that her advanced macular degeneration has significantly deteriorated her eyesight.
The 89-year-old star admitted she can no longer recognize people or read clearly. “I can’t see anymore,” she stated, acknowledging the limitations imposed by her condition.
When queried about why she had withdrawn from performing, Dench attributed it directly to the visual impairment caused by macular degeneration. While able to identify shapes, she finds faces increasingly difficult to distinguish. She mentioned her inability to read scripts or clearly see television programs as further complications of this progressive eye disease.
McKellen responded lightheartedly, noting that despite the challenges Dench faces with vision, audiences continue to enjoy her work on screen and stage. He then asked if she had ever mistaken someone on the street for a stranger, humorously suggesting he might have received an unexpected number of such greetings from her.
This interview comes after Dench has publicly spoken about her condition since its diagnosis in 2012. She explained previously that memorizing lines is one of the most difficult tasks now due to macular degeneration, which prevents reading scripts directly. She relies on a strong memory and learning new techniques to continue working despite these vision challenges.
Even with reduced workload, Dench has indicated her condition necessitates careful adjustments in her daily life. In an appearance during “Louis Theroux Interviews,” she mentioned being unable to see well enough at dinner parties relying on friends to cut food portions appropriately due to macular degeneration impairments.
Although facing visual limitations as a result of the disease, Dench remains determined about continuing her work within safe parameters. She has expressed hope that with adaptation and finding new ways, she can overcome many obstacles brought by her macular degeneration condition while maintaining her professional output despite these challenges from age-related vision decline due to advanced macular degeneration affecting her sight at this stage of life.
