I CAN’T SEE THE TELEVISION, CAN’T SEE TO READ, OR READ SCRIPTS”
- JUDI DENCH
Actress Judi Dench can no longer read or write due to failing eyesight
In an interview with Louis Theroux, the film icon opens up about the difficulties of living with macular degeneration, and why she isn’t going to let the condition stop her from acting.
Judi Dench shared an update on her severe vision loss caused by advanced age-related macular degeneration (AMD).
First diagnosed in 2012, the progressive condition damages central vision, meaning she can still see general outlines but can no longer make out faces, read scripts, or watch television.
She joked that she sometimes greets total strangers because she cannot distinguish faces. She also noted that people occasionally mistake her lack of greeting for being “grand” or aloof, when she simply cannot see them.
While standard acting and stage work are no longer feasible, Dench continues to stay active.
She has shifted focus to helping young students learn Shakespeare and relies on a photographic memory, having friends and family read scripts aloud to her.
Ahead of her 91st birthday, she disclosed to the Radio Times that both of her eyes have progressed beyond the point of medical treatment, calling the reality “a crusher”