Dame Judi Dench says she has 'no option' but to stay positive amid ongoing health issues

After decades of starring in beloved movies, Dame Judi Dench has opened up on her everyday struggles whilst battling ongoing health issues. 

The bond star, 88, shared a devastating health update in July along with a surprising new tattoo which she said was inspired by her condition. Despite her Macular degeneration worsening, affecting both her theatrical work and daily life, Dame Judi refuses to let it stop her. 

Macular degeneration is an age-related eye disease that can lead to your central vision becoming blurred. The disease can come about when the macula, - the part of the eye that controls sharp straight-ahead vision - is damaged by ageing.

On a recent special episode of Countryfile, the former thespian expressed an admirable stubbornness when it comes to dealing with her sight loss. She said, “I have no option, have I? I've no option or I'll just fall over, but I've got wonderful people who help me and doesn't look as if I'm being led around…”

Judi previously opened up about the condition when she spoke to Sunday Mirror’s Notebook magazine revealing she can’t even see on a film set anymore.

But the actor is refusing to let the condition stop all of her hobbies. Speaking to Countryfile's host Charlotte Smith, Dame Judi discussed her love of painting and how her condition, has not stopped her from doing that.  

In true Dame Judi fashion, she managed to crack a joke despite the naturally sombre mood of the conversation, “I am still painting, I can’t see anymore. Perhaps it is no worse than it used to be.” 

She went on to say that it "doesn't matter" and that painting is a form of self-expression no matter what you can or can’t see.

During the special which aired on BBC, Dame Judi also shared the particularly emotional experience of the moment she saw a Golden Eagle in the wild. Spotting the rare bird had been a lifelong dream of the stars and reduced her to tears upon seeing it finally.