The aging process is believed to have effects on the functioning of the eye. As people get older, the visual capabilities such as, the ability to focus on close objects and differentiation of images reduce (Owsley 1614). Moreover, several diseases and eye conditions come due to the impact of aging on the different parts of the eye that aid in vision. The most integral part the eye is the retina, where light is converted and ends up being perceived by the brain as an image (Chen et al. 440). It has got different parts within it such as the Retinal Pigment Epithelium cells (RPE) and the macula, which play a significant role in the perception of the image formed. This paper focuses on visual changes that take place due to the effects of aging on the retina

The retinal illuminance reduces as people get older. The pupil directs that amount of light that enters the retina for correct vision. As people grow old the pupil size reduces, thus, the amount of light getting to the retina also reduces. (Owsley 1610) This, in turn, make people develop a condition known as presbyopia, the inability to see close objects. Although it is brought about by the reduction of pupil size, it is majorly caused by the deterioration of the macula and the loss of the most precise central vision (Chen et al. 441). The macula produces cells responsible for the perception of light, and as one becomes old, the macula weakens results in the reduction of cells. Furthermore, it leads to the stiffening of the lens resulting in presbyopia. This makes the retina to be insensitive to light, causing the brain to perceive close objects as blurred images

The Retinal Pigment Epithelium cell responsible for the assimilation of the rods and cones experiences the loss of cells due to old age. This reduces the number of photoreceptors that each Retinal Pigment Epithelium cell supports, and with such an imbalance, the Retinal sensitivity to lightreduce resulting to low visual acuity and increased dark adaptation (Marazita et al. 80). The Retina comprises of a number of layers which are connected by the synapses and further supported by an outer layer of pigment epithelial cells (Chen et al. 442). Therefore, as the thickness of the membrane decreases the synaptic cells reduces, and consequently less cellular processes.  The processes are what aids to the transfer of the stimulus to the brain which is later on perceived as an image.Once the processes reduce, the brain becomes unable to effectively perceive the image

The aging process affects major parts of the eye which are responsible for vision. The effects of aging on the retina are mainly on the thickness of the pigment epithelium membrane, the macula, and reduction in the number of Retinal Pigment Epithelium cells(RPE). These features are what makes the retinal to function normally, and once they are affected the perception and reliance of the stimulus to the brain is also affected. This makes the brain view the image as either blurred, the eyes become unable to focus on close objects and less visual acuity. Since the images perceives the stimulus relayed for the light converted on the retina, such defects make the brain to wrong images and further makes the eye develop conditions such retinal desegregation resulting to poor vision at old age

Work’s cited

Chen, Mei, et al. “Retinal pigment epithelial cell multinucleation in the aging eye–a mechanism to repair damage and maintain homoeostasis.” Aging cell 15.3 (2016): 436-445.

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/acel.12447

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S221323171530013

Marazita, Mariela C., et al. “Oxidative stress-induced premature senescence dysregulates VEGF and CFH expression in retinal pigment epithelial cells: implications for age-related macular degeneration.” Redox biology 7 (2016): 78-87.

Owsley, Cynthia. “Aging and vision.” Vision research 51.13 (2011): 1610-1622. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0042698910005110

 
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