Dame Judi Dench can no longer travel alone because her eyesight is so bad.

The 80-year-old actress' eyes are failing because she is suffering from dry and wet macular degeneration, with the former causing blurry vision, while the latter can cause blind spots.

Dench admits her sight is now so bad she needs a companion when she goes out to warn her of hazards she may not have spotted.

Speaking to Radio Times magazine, she revealed: ''These days I can't really travel on my own because I need someone to say, 'Look out, there's a step here!' Or else I fall all over the place like a mad, drunk lady.''

Dench appreciated the support of her 'The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel' co-stars Maggie Smith, Celia Imrie, Penelope Wilton and Bill Nighy in regards to her failing sight when they shot the movie in India.

Continuing to discuss her visual problems, she added: ''It was just glorious going back to India again with Mags, Celia, Pep and Bill. We're all great friends and we've done masses of things together. It was like an old travelling theatre company coming back together - old being the operative word.''

Dench previously admitted she can no longer read scripts because of the health issue - which she was diagnosed with two years ago - but she is determined to not let the condition beat her.

She said: ''I can't read scripts anymore because of the trouble with my eyes. And so somebody comes in and reads them to me, like telling me a story. It's usually my daughter or my agent or a friend and actually I like that, because I sit there and imagine the story in my mind ... The most distressing thing is in a restaurant in the evening I can't see the person I'm having dinner with.''

''You get used to it. I've got lenses and glasses and things and very bright light helps. I can do a crossword if it's bright sunshine but if a cloud comes out the next minute I can't see anything.''