Dame Judi Dench has explained the reason why we no longer see her on our screens as she gave an update on her health condition.
She’s been loved for decades
Dench has been a known name for decades, having started her career in 1957 when she played Ophelia in Old Vic Company’s production of Hamlet at the age of 22.
Today, at the age of 90, she’s been in around 60 movies as well as multiple TV shows.
Dench is a known star
The star is most known globally for her role as ‘M’ in the James Bond franchise and has won an Academy Award for her role in Shakespeare in Love, three BAFTAs for other roles, as well as dozens of award nominations across her career.
She was also appointed a Dame in 1988.
But she’s been struggling with her health
Dench hasn’t been appearing on our screens as much as she used to after being diagnosed with age-related macular degeneration (AMD).
According to WebMD, “AMD happens when the central portion of your retina, called the macula, wears down. The retina is the light-sensing nerve tissue at the back of your eye.”
AMD can get worse over time
The condition is said to be the leading cause of permanent vision loss in people over the age of 50, and it can get worse with time.
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AMD doesn’t lead to complete blindness but can seriously impair one’s vision.
Dench was diagnosed in 2012
The condition can be hereditary and Dench’s mother suffered from vision loss as well. The actress herself was diagnosed with AMD back in 2012.
Speaking on the Fearless podcast earlier this year, Dench said that she’s unable to leave the house on her own because of her eyesight.
She has to have someone accompany her
“Somebody will always be with me,” Dench said of the conditions under which she’s able to leave the house. “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. Not at all. Nor would I be now. And fortunately, I don’t have to be now because I pretend to have no eyesight.”
Dench has given a more recent update
In a more recent interview on ITV News, Dench explained her lack of appearance on TV shows and movies nowadays.
The reporter said to her, “We don’t often see you on camera these days.”
She addressed why we don’t see her
“No you don’t because I can’t see anymore. I’ve got, you know, that thing,” Dench replied.
While sitting next to fellow actor Ian McKellen, Dench said that she could only ‘see his outline’ and the scarf he was wearing, but not much more.
“I can’t recognize anyone anymore,” she said. “I can’t see the television. I can’t see to read.”
