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The iconic performer Judi Dench has opened up about the effects of growing older on her eyesight and memory, stating she often struggles to remember immediate plans – but can easily recall long sections of Shakespearean text.

"I have no memory of what I'm doing tomorrow, I promise you," she stated to a magazine.

Her team verified that this kind of help are sometimes necessary. Dench added that her degenerative eye condition now means faces to appear "in a fog" even up close.

A Condition That 'Crushes'

"It's devastating," Dench noted, adding that it means she can no longer watching television. "I miss seeing Clive Myrie presenting Mastermind," she continued, "but I can at least hear the questions."

Dench, who turns 91 this week, is fronting a new documentary exploring her longstanding relationship with the works of Shakespeare. Audiences will also see her in conversation with Kenneth Branagh in a separate show set for broadcast over the Christmas holidays.

Regarding Friends and Acquittals

Dench also mentioned remaining in touch with fellow 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 needs constant help in public for fear of tripping due to her vision problems. She was first diagnosed with the eye condition in 2012, a progressive disease that is the primary reason of sight loss in the UK.

Coping with New Realities

She has credited the condition with her effective stepping back from film work. "I can no longer see properly on set," she explained, 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 many companions who will teach me the script."

Dench's most recent film appearance was a brief part in the 2022 Christmas movie Spirited; earlier that year she had a more substantial part in Allelujah. That year also earned her her eighth Academy Award nod for Belfast.

Remaining in the Public Eye

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