Judi Dench says sight loss has ended acting and reading

Judi Dench says worsening eyesight has left her unable to perform on stage, act in films or read, describing the limits in an interview on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme. Her remarks reflect her own account of how her vision has changed; the reports do not provide an independent medical assessment of its severity or permanence. Speaking with presenter Emma Barnett, Dench said she could no longer be on stage, do a play, make a film or read. She also said she could not see Barnett’s face. Dench, 91, was diagnosed with age-related macular degeneration in 2012, and has previously spoken about the condition affecting her work and daily life. She described difficulties recognising people, saying she sometimes approaches someone thinking they are another person and nearly hugs them before realising her mistake. The condition affects her central vision, according to the reports, and has made it harder for her to see faces and objects in front of her. Dench also spoke about no longer being able to see bluebells. She said she knows what the trees in her garden look like from memory and can sometimes make them out. Her remarks suggest that memory helps her picture parts of the landscape...