Judi Dench bares she 'can't see anymore' due to macular degeneration

British actress Judi Dench opened up about her worsening eye condition, which has led her to not appear on TV and film anymore.

In a recent interview with ITV News, the Hamlet star, 90, revealed, "I can't see anymore. I have that thing..." She first revealed that she had age-related macular degeneration in 2012.

Her Macbeth co-star Ian McKellen then joked in the interview that he can see her, to which Dench responded with, "Yes, and I can see your outline and I know you so well in your Macbeth scarf."

"But I can't recognize anybody now... I can't see the television. I can't see to read," she explained.

The X-Men star then jokingly asked Dench if she goes up to strangers to say "lovely to see you again." "Sometimes," she answered, laughing.

In a podcast in January, Dench shared that red carpet premieres came with challenges due to her condition.

"Somebody will always be with me. I have to now because I can't see and I will walk into something or fall over. I'm always nervous before going to something. I have no idea why. I'm not good at that at all."

She also said in 2023 that she has friends who teach her the script when she acts. One of her most recent acting credits includes a cameo in Spirited. 

Macular degeneration, according to the Cleveland Clinic, is a common age-related eye condition affecting central vision. This leads to people, usually over the age of 50, not seeing things in front of them.

In 2019, around 19.8 million Americans aged 40 and above lived with the condition.

Dench, who has an Oscar, a Tony, and Golden Globes under her belt, is known for her roles in James Bond films and Shakespeare in Love.