Judi Dench Says She Cannot Recognise Faces Due to Worsening Eye Condition: What Is Macular Degeneration?

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Judi Dench is suffering from an irreversible and degenerative eye condition, which has made her almost blind. The 90-year-old actor first revealed in 2012 that she was diagnosed with macular degeneration, which causes blurred vision or reduced central vision and is common among people over the age of 50. Dench said, “I can't recognize anybody now,” Dench said in an interview with ITV News. “I can't see anymore. I can't see the television. I can't see to read.” The Oscar winner also revealed that she could no longer go out alone due to her worsening vision. In several other interviews, Dench has openly spoken about how her vision has been impacting her acting work, including remembering her lines.

What is macular degeneration?

Macular degeneration causes loss of sharp, central vision, making it difficult to see fine details. It is most common in people over 60 years and can result from ageing, genetic factors, smoking, and other health issues. According to doctors, macular degeneration affects your macula - the central part of your retina – which is present at the back of your eye and controls central vision. Those with macular degeneration are not completely blind, as their peripheral vision is fine. However, the condition develops in one eye or both eyes with different levels of severity. There are two types of macular degeneration: Dry or atrophic, which is diagnosed in more than 90 per cent of those with the condition, is diagnosed with. Doctors say it develops when tiny yellow protein deposits known as drusen form under your macula. Wet or exudative macular degeneration happens when abnormal blood vessels develop under your retina and macula and begin to leak blood and fluid.

What causes macular degeneration?

According to experts, macular degeneration is mostly an inherited eye disease, but it also develops in those with no family history of the disease. Macular degeneration occurs when the macula at the back of your eye starts to waste away for unknown reasons. Getting older is a factor in age-related macular degeneration. A few non-age-related reasons may include:

• Diabetes
• Head injuries
• Recurrent infections
• A diet that is lacking in required nutrients

Signs and symptoms of macular degeneration

While many people with the condition do not show any symptoms till the disease progresses, a few symptoms of macular degeneration include:

• Being less able to see in low light
• Blurred vision
• Problems or changes in the way you see colours
• Low vision
• Straight lines that you see as curving or wavy. If you’re looking at lines that you know should be straight, but they appear wavy or curved, you should contact an eye care provider.
• Blank spots or dark spots in your field of vision.

Can macular degeneration be treated?

Doctors say there is no cure for macular degeneration, and starting treatments early after a proper diagnosis can only slow the progression of the disease and make symptoms less severe. Even with successful treatments, symptoms often return. However. Depending on the disease type, treatments include nutritional supplements, medications, photodynamic therapy, and laser therapy.