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The iconic actress Judi Dench has spoken candidly about the impact of aging on her eyesight and recall, stating she frequently finds it hard to recall immediate plans – yet can easily recall long sections of the Bard's work.

"I can't remember what I'm doing tomorrow, I swear to you," she told a magazine.

Her assistants confirmed that such reminders are at times necessary. Dench added that her degenerative eye condition currently causes faces to appear "in a fog" even up close.

A 'Crusher' of a Condition

"It's devastating," she remarked, adding that it prevents her from watching television. "I long to see Clive Myrie presenting Mastermind," she said, "however I can still hear the questions."

The actress, celebrating 91 this week, is fronting a new documentary about her longstanding relationship with Shakespeare's works. She will also be seen being interviewed by Kenneth Branagh in a separate show set for broadcast over the Christmas holidays.

On Friends and Exoneration

Dench also mentioned staying in contact with actor Kevin Spacey, who was acquitted of assault allegations in 2023. "Kevin was cleared," she stated, "and I hear from Kevin, we text."

Earlier this year, Dench said she now requires full-time assistance in public for fear of falling over due to her failing eyesight. She was first diagnosed with age-related macular degeneration in 2012, a degenerative issue that is the leading cause of sight loss in the UK.

Coping with New Realities

Dench has attributed the condition with her de facto retirement from film work. "I can't see on a film set any more," she said in 2023, and continued: "And I can't see to read. But you just deal with it."

"It's challenging if I have any length of a part. I haven't yet found a way. Because I have so many friends who will help me learn the script."

Her last screen credit was a brief part in the 2022 Christmas movie Spirited; earlier that year she had a more substantial part in Allelujah. The same year also brought her her eighth Academy Award nod for Belfast.

A Continued Public Presence

Dench still appears often at events, nevertheless, including at fundraisers like one last month alongside Ian McKellen. In May, she was sculpted live to raise funds. She noted she could not see the finished sculpture, but would feel it "if they let me."