Dame Judi Dench, 91, says her eyesight has deteriorated to the point where she can no longer act on stage or screen, or read. Speaking to Emma Barnett on BBC Radio 4's Today programme, the Oscar winner said her eye condition has left her unable to perform or read more than a decade after her diagnosis.
Dench was diagnosed with age-related macular degeneration (AMD) in 2012. In the interview, she said, "I can't do a film anymore." She added that people have to adjust, make allowances, and get on without thinking about it too much.
The condition has also changed everyday life. She said she often can't recognise faces, which has led to awkward moments where she tries to give the wrong people an "almost hug." She told the interviewer she can't see her face at all. AMD does not cause total blindness, according to the NHS, but it can make reading and recognising faces difficult.
Dench has long said her Quaker faith shapes how she faces life. She attended the Quaker Mount School in York and has called herself an active Friend. In a Church Times interview, she said, "My faith is everything, but I don't generally talk about it."
Her career spans seven decades and includes an Oscar, two Golden Globes and six Baftas.
Please keep Dame Judi Dench in your prayers.
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