Macular degeneration among famous people

It may be comforting to know that we are not alone after all. Many actors, artists, and authors have successfully navigated this condition and have maintained successful careers.

Macular degeneration among celebrities

1. Dame Judi Dench

An interview given to the Sunday Post in July 2019 by the actress Judi Dench, who is 84 years old, describes her experience with macular degeneration, one of Britain’s most famous actors. In 2012, she had already announced that she was suffering from age-related macular degeneration, as her mother had.

Due to her loss of vision, she is unable to read or drive anymore. She has a dry form of the condition and a wet form of the condition. Her wet eye is being injected every six weeks. She stated to the Sunday Post, “I just want to be mobile, really, and be able to do things. My eyes are not going to win.”

She used to get her scripts enlarged to 22 points when her eyesight began to deteriorate. In the present, she mostly relies on people to read her lines and coach her. When she attends movies, a friend sits near her and describes the scenes to her. As she says, she wants to keep going and “being able to do things.” Her eyes will not rob me of my ability. You adapt to them. I ignore them completely.”

2. Dame John Mills

He was, for a time, the senior vice president of Vision Foundation and appeared in more than 120 movies over the span of 70 years. Another famous English actor, Sir John Mills, played a variety of roles. His daughter, actress Hayley Mills, explained at a virtual event for the foundation in 2021 that her father had had macular degeneration for the last 20 years of his life. While his sight gradually deteriorated, he continued acting well into his old age.

A cameo appearance was made in the movie Bright Young Things two years before his death, which he played at the age of 90, according to the Guardian. He died in 2005 at the age of 97.

3. Roseanne Barr

In 2015, Roseanne revealed her macular degeneration and glaucoma diagnosis in an interview with the Daily Beast. Despite feeling her sight was “closing in,” she said, “You just have to do what you have to do.” She said she tried to enjoy vision as much as possible, living it up. Her dad also suffered from this condition.

Roseanne was found to have a mole growing on the inside of her eye by a new doctor in 2018. In 2018, in an interview with PEOPLE magazine, she said she had been misdiagnosed.

4. Stephen King

The late Stephen King revealed he had macular degeneration, which afflicted his peripheral vision. He joked about his peripheral vision in an interview with CBS 60 Minutes in 1998, stating, “that’s what I want to keep as a man and as a writer – what I see out of the corners.”.

In a later statement, King disclosed that he has a genetic predisposition to macular degeneration, but that he has not yet demonstrated symptoms of the disease.

5. Theodore Borgnine

As well as appearing in more than 200 films, Ernest Borgnine was also seen in McHale’s Navy, The Flight of the Phoenix, The Dirty Dozen, and The Poseidon Adventure and Convoy. After having cataract surgery, he was diagnosed with macular degeneration and took vitamin supplements to slow the progression of the disease. In addition to reading, he said that he still could see well in bright light.

After 88 years of driving his bus around the country, he became the spokesperson for the National Eye Institute, explaining macular degeneration to the general public through a video.

6. Adonis Knotts

Achieving five Emmy awards for his role as Deputy Sheriff Barney Fife with the Andy Griffith Show would not be possible without Don Knotts. Don was also featured in Three’s Company, Cannonball Run 11 and Air Buddies. Don was diagnosed with macular degeneration at the age of 57.

In spite of the fact that he was unable to drive or read, he was still able to act and enjoy swimming. He was also involved in a video produced to raise awareness of living with macular degeneration.

7. Edgar Degas

He lived between 1838 and 1917, and suffered from a retinal disorder that gradually worsened. As a result, he was experiencing difficulty painting because he could not see what was straight ahead in his field of vision. It was believed to be macular degeneration. Instead, he could only see around that area.

It was not long before his central vision was lost as a result of deterioration in both eyes. When his sight was not good enough for him to continue painting, he began creating sculptures. He changed his style and used broader strokes to paint. In addition, he painted from photographs so that he did not need to work outside.

It is important that we support one another

There may not be the same financial or physical resources behind us that these famous individuals possessed, but I have been given an opportunity to see the courage, hope and resilience that this community has demonstrated. With the support of our fellow community members, we will be able to let our own light shine through.