Dame Judi Dench opened up about how vision loss has put heartbreaking obstacles in her career, rendering her incapable of acting. The Oscar winner’s career spanned seven decades before it came to a drastic halt when she began losing her eyesight. She has been open about her struggles with the worsening condition of her eyes.
How macular degeneration has changed Judi Dench’s career
Judi Dench was diagnosed with age-related macular degeneration (AMD) in 2012. Per the National Eye Institute, the condition affects a person’s central vision and is the leading cause of vision loss in older adults. It has made her everyday life increasingly difficult over the years while also leaving her unable to continue in the acting profession.
In a new interview on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, she got candid about how it has affected her career. She stated, “I can’t be on stage. I can’t do a play anymore. I can’t do a film anymore. I can’t read anymore.” She continued that sometimes she approaches people and “gives them almost a hug” before apologising when she realises that they are not who she thought they were. Further, she added that she could not see interviewer Emma Barnett’s face at all.
She said, “You’ve got to adjust to all that and you make allowances for it and just get on. And don’t think about it too much. Don’t think about it too much and just keep on trying to do the roller skates and whatever.” When asked for her views on aging, she called aging in general “rubbish.” She added, “There’s nothing to say for it at all. [I] don’t think about it too much.”
Elsewhere, she also expressed her sadness over not being able to see the color blue. “They said this summer was absolutely sensational with bluebells; I couldn’t see one,” she shared. “But I know what my trees look like, and part of it is in my memory and part of it is about hopefully what I can make out.”
