Judi Dench's vision loss hinders her from venturing out independently.

The actress who played James Bond, now 90 years old, is dealing with age-related macular degeneration.

Judi Dench's vision loss hinders her from venturing out independently.
Judi Dench's vision loss hinders her from venturing out independently.

Dame Judi Dench made a vulnerable admission about her deteriorating medical condition.

The actress, who is 90 years old and renowned, admitted that she is unable to venture out on her own because of her vision impairment.

"She stated on the "Fearless" podcast, hosted by Trinny Woodall, that someone will always be with her because she is unable to see and is at risk of walking into something or falling over."

Judi Dench
Legendary "James Bond" actress Judi Dench shared a health update about her deteriorating vision. (Karwai Tang/WireImage/Getty Images)

"I'm always nervous before going to something, but I don't know why. I'm not good at being on my own, and fortunately, I don't have to be now because I pretend to have no eyesight," she laughed in good spirits.

For over a decade, Dench has been dealing with age-related macular degeneration, a condition that gradually deteriorates vision over time.

"Somebody will always be with me. I have to now because I can’t see, and I will walk into something or fall over."  — Judi Dench

According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, age-related macular degeneration is the most common cause of severe vision loss among people over 50. The disease affects only the central vision and people rarely go blind from it.

Judi Dench at a premiere
In 2023, Dench revealed that her medical condition had gotten so bad that she could no longer read scripts or memorize lines for acting jobs. (Samir Hussein/Getty Images)

After discussing her medical condition's effects on her acting career last year, the renowned James Bond actress made remarks.

At the time, she said on "The Graham Norton Show" that her medical condition had worsened to the point where she could no longer read scripts or memorize lines for acting jobs.

"Since I possess a photographic memory," she stated, "I must locate a device that not only instructs me on my lines but also indicates their positions on the page."

Judi Dench in an old portrait
Dench began her professional acting career in 1957 at the historical Royal Court Theatre, where she played the role of Ophelia in "Hamlet." (Bob Haswell)

In a 2014 statement, Dench said she didn't want her condition to be "overblown" in the media, and that "it's something that I have learnt to cope with and adapt to — and it will not lead to blindness."

By 2016, her vision had deteriorated to the point where she was unable to travel alone.

""I can't travel alone because I need someone to warn me about steps or else I stumble like a drunk woman," she said."

Judi Dench smiling
Dench earned an Academy Award in 1988 for her role in "Shakespeare in Love" as well as a Tony Award in 1999 for starring in the play "Amy's View." (Getty Images For Orange)

Dench started her acting career in 1957 at the Royal Court Theatre, where she played Ophelia in "Hamlet." She continued to work on prominent stages in the U.K. before making her film debut in 1964. Since then, she has acted in both film and theater, earning an Academy Award in 1988 and a Tony Award in 1999.

Planet Chronicle Digital's Emily Trainham contributed to this report.

by Stephanie Giang-Paunon

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