Judi Dench says worsening eyesight has ended her acting career

British actress Judi Dench has said that worsening eyesight caused by macular degeneration has left her unable to perform on stage, act in films or read.

British actress Judi Dench has said that worsening eyesight caused by macular degeneration has left her unable to perform on stage, act in films or read.

Dench, 91, was diagnosed with age-related macular degeneration in 2012. The condition has also made it difficult for her to recognise people.

Speaking on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, Dench said: “I can’t be on stage. I can’t do a play any more. I can’t do a film any more. I can’t read any more.”

Reflecting on ageing, she said: “There’s nothing to say for it at all. [I] don’t think about [ageing] too much.”

Despite her vision problems, Dench said she remains passionate about the works of William Shakespeare, particularly his sonnets.

“I just love them,” she said. “It’s the rhythm of it. It’s the rhythm of your heart. It’s the way he’s summed up so simply the way that any of us feel about, well, anything.”

In her memoir, Is It Too Late to Make a Run for It?, Dench also reflects on the 2019 film Cats, describing it as a “waste of goodwill and talent”.