Ageing and Vision

Allison B. Sekuler

Age-related changes in vision can profoundly affect the quality of life for seniors, decreasing independence and mobility and increasing physical injuries, such as hip fractures. But what aspects of vision change with age? And what produces those changes? Despite the critical importance of vision for functioning in everyday life, much still remains to be learned about the effects of healthy ageing on vision. This entry provides a brief overview of some of the most important aspects of ageing and vision researchers have learned. As people age, their vision is affected by changes both to their eyes and their brains. The average pupil size decreases with age, so that less light enters the eye, and this reduction in light is compounded by changes in the structure of the lens. Through the normal ageing process, even in the absence of cataracts (clouding of the lens), the lens becomes less transparent, blocking additional ...

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