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The legendary actress Judi Dench has opened up about the impact of aging on her vision and recall, revealing she often struggles to remember upcoming appointments – yet can effortlessly recite extensive passages of Shakespearean text.

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

Her team verified that this kind of help are at times necessary. Dench added that her degenerative eye condition currently causes faces to appear "blurred" even up close.

A 'Crusher' of a Condition

"It's a crusher," Dench noted, adding that it prevents her from watching television. "I long to see Clive Myrie presenting Mastermind," she continued, "however I can at least hear the questions."

The actress, celebrating 91 on Tuesday, is leading a new documentary about her deep connection with Shakespeare's works. She will also be seen in conversation with Kenneth Branagh in a separate show airing over the festive period.

On Friends and Exoneration

Dench also mentioned remaining in touch with fellow actor Kevin Spacey, who was acquitted of assault allegations in 2023. "Kevin has been exonerated," she stated, "and we are in contact, we text."

In recent months, Dench disclosed she now requires constant help in public to avoid falling over due to her failing eyesight. She first revealed age-related macular degeneration in 2012, a progressive disease that is the primary reason of vision loss in the UK.

Adapting to Change

She has credited the condition with her effective stepping back from acting. "I can no longer see properly on set," she said in 2023, and continued: "Reading is also impossible. But you just deal with it."

"It's challenging if I have any length of a part. I have not discovered a way. Since I have many companions who will help me learn the script."

Dench's most recent screen credit was a small role in the 2022 holiday film Spirited; earlier that year she had a larger role in Allelujah. That year also brought her her eighth Academy Award nod for Belfast.

A Continued Public Presence

Dench still appears frequently in public, nevertheless, including at charity events including a recent one last month alongside Ian McKellen. In May, she participated in a live sculpture to raise funds. She noted she could not see the finished sculpture, but would touch it "if they let me."