Judi Dench reveals eye condition means she can no longer act in films

'I can't read any more'

The Oscar-winning star, 91, has been living with age-related macular degeneration (AMD) for 14 years. 

The condition has progressively affected her vision, making it increasingly difficult to carry out tasks that were once central to her career, including reading scripts, learning lines and performing.

Appearing on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, Dench told presenter Emma Barnett that acting is no longer an option for her.

“I can't be on stage. I can't do a play any more,” she said. “I can't do a film any more. I can't read any more,” Digital Spy reported.

AMD affects the macula, an area of the retina responsible for detailed central vision. It is one of the leading causes of sight loss among people aged over 50 in the UK.

The reality of living with AMD

Dench first opened up publicly about her diagnosis in 2023, when she explained how the condition had begun interfering with her work. 

She struggled to memorise dialogue and found it difficult to see what was happening around her on film sets.

Now, she says, learning to live with those limitations has become part of her daily routine.

“You've got to adjust to all that, make allowance for it, and just get on, and don't think about it too much,” she told Barnett.

The impact goes beyond her professional life. Dench explained that she often struggles to identify people by their faces, even when they are standing nearby. 

She was unable to recognise Barnett across the studio table and described the awkward encounters that can follow when she mistakes strangers for familiar faces.

“I go up to lots of the wrong people and say 'hello!' And give them an enormous hug… and say 'so sorry',” she said.

‘I can’t see blue anymore’

Her friend, actor Brendan O’Hea, who joined her on the programme, offered a glimpse into how she has dealt with the condition. 

He recalled inviting her to see the bluebells two years ago, only for Dench to explain that she could no longer see their colour.

“I can't see the colour blue anymore,” she told him.

The memory came up again as Dench discussed this year’s bluebell season, which was reportedly especially beautiful. 

Although she could not see the flowers clearly, she said her memories of the landscape still allowed her to picture what was there.

“I couldn't see one,” she said. “But I know what my trees look like, so part of it is in my memory, and part of it is what I can hopefully just about make out.”