Dame Judi Dench speaking candidly about living with age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is helping to raise awareness of the UK’s biggest cause of sight loss, according to Dr Shen Mason our Medical Director for Ophthalmology.
The 90-year-old Oscar-winning actress discussed her worsening eyesight in comments reported last week during a recent appearance on Trinny Woodall’s Fearless podcast. Dame Judi revealed that she can no longer go out alone because of the condition, saying: “I have to [have someone] now because I can’t see.”
“Once sight has been lost to AMD, we can’t get it back. Treatment focuses on stabilising vision rather than improving it, which is why early diagnosis is so important.”
Dr Shen Mason, Medical Director for Ophthalmology
Her honesty has prompted renewed calls for people across the country to attend regular eye tests to help catch AMD earlier.
Dr Shen Mason says Dame Judi’s comments have brought much-needed attention to a condition that affects millions of people across the UK.
“Dame Judi Dench bravely sharing her experience will really help to raise awareness of AMD and the devastating impact it can have on independence and everyday life,” said Dr Mason. “What many people don’t realise is that AMD can often be detected much earlier – often routinely in people in their 50s and 60s – through regular eye tests, sometimes before any symptoms appear.”
Dame Judi was diagnosed with AMD in 2012, aged 76. While treatments such as regular eye injections can help slow the progression of the condition, they cannot restore vision that has already been lost.
“Once sight has been lost to AMD, we can’t get it back,” Dr Mason added. “Treatment focuses on stabilising vision rather than improving it, which is why early diagnosis is so important. The earlier we catch AMD, the better chance we have of preserving sight and maintaining independence.”
The importance of early diagnosis is reflected in the experience of one of Dr Mason’s patients, Diane Maddison from Oldham, now 82, who was diagnosed with AMD five years ago and has been receiving treatment regularly at Practice Plus Group Ophthalmolgy Centre, Croft Shifa, Rochdale. She says: “I can imagine exactly how Dame Judi must be feeling. I know if I hadn’t started the treatment so promptly five years ago, I would have gone blind – no two ways about it. The on-going injections help with my Wet AMD helping to prolong my vision well into older age, which is amazing. I am very grateful to the team – without them, who knows where I would be. I feel very lucky.”
“If I hadn’t started the treatment so promptly five years ago, I would have gone blind – no two ways about it.”
Diane Maddison, 82, AMD patient
She continued: “In the past, many people accepted vision loss as an inevitable part of ageing, but that’s no longer the case. Regular eye checks allow us to detect and treat conditions such as cataracts, glaucoma and macular degeneration early – often before symptoms develop.”
Dr Mason is urging people not to wait for symptoms to appear and to book regular eye tests, even if their vision feels fine, as this remains the most effective way to spot AMD early and protect long-term eye health.
Five simple steps to help lower the risk of AMD
Dr Mason advises all adults – especially those over 60 – to:
- Have an eye test every one to two years (or more often if you have diabetes, high blood pressure or a family history of eye disease)
- Stop smoking, as it increases the risk of cataracts and macular degeneration
- Maintain a healthy diet rich in leafy greens and colourful vegetables
- Control blood pressure and diabetes
- Protect eyes from UV light by wearing sunglasses in bright daylight
NHS patients can ask their GP for a referral to Practice Plus Group hospitals. Private or insured patients can book directly with Wellsoon private healthcare from Practice Plus Group.
