Judi Dench is going blind.

[beautywickedlover]

Judi Dench has revealed that she had been diagnosed with macular degeneration, an eye condition which can cause blindness, and that her eyesight was already so bad that she couldn't even read her own scripts.

The 77-year-old told the Daily Mirror that she was relying on friends and family to keep her up to speed with her lines.


"It's usually my daughter or my agent or a friend and actually I like that, because I sit there and imagine the story in my mind," she told the newspaper during an interview at a London hotel. "The most distressing thing is in a restaurant in the evening I can't see the person I'm having dinner with."

I hope that her sight will get better soon. She's a wonderful actress.




Actress Judi Dench says she's battling blindness

[FindingNamo]

It probably won't be getting better soon.

[best12bars]

Makes me very sad to hear this.

[dramamama611]

Unless a cure is found, it won't get better. Degenerative means it will continue to get worse. Often, the best the doctors wish for is to slow down the progress.

Lucky for her she seems to have many loved ones with which to surround herself.

[Jim Colyer]

A shame. I have enjoyed her performances.

[beautywickedlover]

'Skyfall' will most liekly be the last time she plays M in a James Bond film.

[sabrelady]

There are 2 types "wet" & "dry" -wet is worse. No real tx's for it just prevention ie not smoking, looking into bright sunlight- taking lutein- b4 symptoms occur.

NOTE there are some tx for the wet form-
new drugs, called anti-angiogenics or anti-VEGF (anti-Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor) agents, can cause regression of the abnormal blood vessels and improvement of vision when injected directly into the vitreous humor of the eye. The injections have to be repeated on a monthly or bi-monthly basis. Examples of these agents include ranibizumab (trade name Lucentis).
She could learn her lines from tapes but her movements would have to be very choreographed do-able in film- not so much onstage.
Ver sad news.

[beautywickedlover]

She is undergoing treatment, however, and she hopes that it will allow her to keep working and live a normal life.





Judi Dench unable to read scripts due to degenerative eye condition

[beautywickedlover]

In case no one knew about this, it looks like M might die in 'Skyfall'.




James Bond's boss, M, to die in 'Skyfall' -- maybe. Who should take over?

[Jordan Catalano]

Last month she said she hopes to bring the new play she'll be doing in London to broadway next year so hopefully things are getting better for her...

[Dollypop]

I have a congenital form of macular degeneration.

The best one can hope for it that it doesn't get worse.

[CarlosAlberto]

This is truly sad. It must be scary for her to be losing something that is taken for granted by so many. EYESIGHT.