Dame Judi Dench has shared a devastating new update on her health, revealing that her condition has worsened to the point where she can no longer recognize the faces of her loved ones.
The 90-year-old screen legend opened up about the decline with raw honesty, leaving fans stunned and deeply concerned.
Social media was quickly flooded with messages of sympathy and support, with one fan writing, “This is so sad to hear.”
Dame Judi Dench was diagnosed with a degenerative condition back in 2012, and it now appears to have taken a significant toll on her overall well-being
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In a recent interview, she appeared alongside her colleague of 50 years, Sir Ian McKellen, to promote a new Shakespeare teaching resource.
While speaking with ITV News, Dame Judi Dench was asked why she has stepped away from the film industry in recent years, her last roles being in the 2022 films Spirited and Allelujah.
She attributed her absence to her age-related eye condition, saying, “No, because I can’t see anymore.”
Image credits: 20th Century Studios
Her friend Ian tried to lighten the mood by joking, “But we can see you,” prompting Judi to add, “Yes, and I can see your outline, and I know you so well with your Macbeth scarf.”
She then revealed the heartbreaking extent of her condition, “But I can’t recognize anyone… I can’t see. I can’t see the television, can’t see to read.”
“I can’t see anymore,” the Oscar-winning actress said during a recent interview alongside her longtime friend and colleague Sir Ian McKellen
Image credits: ITVNews
In 2012, Judi was diagnosed with Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD), the leading cause of permanent sight loss in people over 50.
The progressive eye condition severely damages the macula, the part of the retina responsible for sharp, central vision.
AMD often leads to blurred or reduced central vision, distorted straight lines, and a persistent blurry spot, making everyday tasks increasingly difficult for older adults.
Image credits: Searchlight Pictures
This decline has significantly affected Dench’s ability to work in recent years.
The condition is classified into two types, dry AMD and wet AMD, with no known cure available for the dry form.
It also remains unclear which type of AMD the Pride and Prejudice star is living with.
Judi has Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD), a condition that progressively worsens with age and can eventually result in eyesight loss
Image credits: ITVNews
Elsewhere in the interview, Ian teased her by asking, “Do you go up to total strangers and just say to them ‘lovely to see you again?’”
Judi replied with a laugh, “Yes, sometimes!”
Her latest health update has sparked concern among fans, many of whom took to social media to express their support and well-wishes.
One user wrote, “Such a shame, but if anyone can deal with something like this it’s her. She’s an absolute powerhouse and the best of us.”
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Another said, “No no no, not one of my favourite actors, I hate it when we lose so many icons, why?”
A third chimed in, “Bless her. She has been dealing with the loss of her eyesight for a while now… Enjoy your retirement Dame Judy, you have earned it.”
Dench has not appeared on the big screen in the past three years, with her last film roles released in 2022
Image credits: ITVNews
“Our dad had that before he passed.. so sad watching her go through it. sending her my prayers.”
During a 2021 event for the London-based Vision Foundation, Dench had previously opened up about her struggles with the condition, revealing how it was affecting both her career and daily life.
She told the interviewer, “I’ve had to find another way of learning lines and things, which is having great friends of mine repeat them to me over and over and over again.”
Image credits: Sony Pictures
“So I have to learn through repetition, and I just hope that people won’t notice too much if all the lines are completely hopeless!”
The Victoria & Abdul star also expressed her gratitude for her daughter, Finty Williams, who often helped her by reciting lines.
With a remarkable career spanning 70 years since her 1957 debut, Judi never wanted to “retire,” but her health ultimately forced her to slow down
Image credits: Chris Jackson – Pool/Getty Images
Later, speaking at the Chelsea Flower Show in May 2024, Judi admitted she had been working “as much as” she could but was now finding most roles “difficult” to take on.
She explained, “I have so many friends who will teach me the script. But I have a photographic memory, so I have to know where it is on the page, and that’s quite a difficult thing.”
In a separate appearance on Louis Theroux’s BBC show, Dench firmly stated, “I don’t want to retire.”
“[But] I’m not doing much at the moment because I can’t see. It’s bad.”
While the 90-year-old has stepped back from major acting roles for now, she did make a return to the small screen in a 2024 Christmas advert.