Dame Judi Dench has revealed the extent of her worsening eyesight, admitting she can no longer recognise friends 13 years after being diagnosed with macular degeneration
Speaking alongside friend of 50 years Ian McKellen to promote a new Shakespeare teaching resource, Judi commented on the fact she has rarely appeared on camera in recent years
Dame Judi Dench has opened up about the devastating progression of her eyesight condition, revealing that she can no longer recognise close friends after more than a decade of battling age-related macular degeneration. The legendary actress, now 90, shared the heartbreaking update during a joint appearance with longtime friend Sir Ian McKellen — and her candid confession stunned fans who have long wondered why she has stepped back from on-camera work.
‘People think “oh get her, she’s got very grand” but it’s because I can’t see. I can’t see the television, can’t see to read,’ the actress explained
Diagnosed in 2012 with macular degeneration, the UK’s leading cause of vision loss for those over 50, Judi explained that her condition has deteriorated to the point where she can no longer watch television, read, or identify faces. Speaking to ITV News, she said simply: “No, because I can’t see anymore.”
Ian, sitting beside her, gently replied, “We can see you,” prompting Judi to smile and add, “Yes, and I can see your outline, and I know you so well with your Macbeth scarf. But I can’t recognise anyone.”
She admitted that some people misinterpret her behaviour: “People think, ‘Oh get her, she’s very grand.’ But it’s because I can’t see. I can’t see the television; I can’t see to read.”
Whilst Judi is not taking on any major acting roles at present she has returned to the small screen for a new Christmas ad
The revelation comes just as fans have noticed Judi appearing less frequently in major film and TV roles. Her last big-screen performance was in 2022’s Allelujah, and her rare interviews have hinted at the quiet, ongoing battle she faces behind closed doors.
Ian, ever the companion and friend, asked her whether she ever mistakenly greets strangers. Judi laughed: “Yes, sometimes!” Her humour softened the admission, but the truth was impossible to ignore.
For years, Judi has spoken about the increasing challenges of learning scripts. At a Vision Foundation event in 2021, she admitted she now relies on friends to repeat lines to her “over and over and over again,” replacing the photographic memory she once depended on throughout her Shakespearean career.
“I need to find a machine that teaches me my lines and also tells me where they appear on the page,” she told Graham Norton, explaining that while she once could recite Twelfth Night from memory, those days have “sadly changed.”
Despite her optimism, Judi has cast doubt on whether she will return to full-scale acting. Speaking at the Chelsea Flower Show in May, she admitted she currently has “no plans for new projects,” bluntly adding: “No, no — I can’t even see.”
Her condition has affected more than just her career. Judi revealed that during a recent dinner out, her partner David Mills had to cut her food for her because she couldn’t see what was on her plate. “He would hand something to me on a fork, and that’s how I ate,” she said.
Even so, she has not disappeared entirely from screens. This Christmas, she appears alongside Dame Imelda Staunton in a special advert for ShelterBox, a disaster relief charity providing essential items to families who have lost their homes. The project allows Judi to participate without the intense visual demands of film or theatre, and she remains determined to contribute where she can.
Her latest interview marks one of her most open conversations yet about the toll of her declining eyesight — a condition she has battled quietly while continuing to maintain her dignity, humour, and resilience.
As her fans rally around her, Judi Dench remains, as ever, a national treasure — even if the world she once saw so vividly is slowly fading from view.
Source: DailyMail.co.uk
