Aging and vision: changes in function and performance from optics to perception

Age-related declines in vision can have a major impact on the health and well-being of an older population. A review of research on aging and vision indicates that these declines occur at multiple levels of the visual system including optics, sensory processing, and perceptual processing and are not likely due to a systemic change in brain function (e.g., generalized slowing; common cause hypothesis) as a result of normal aging. In addition, declines in sensory and perceptual processing are not due to low-level explanations such as the amount of light that reaches the retina. Declines in visual performance are due to a variety of distinct factors that include spatial integration and difficulty in processing visual information in the presence of noise. Neurophysiological studies suggest that processing declines may be due in part to changes in cortical inhibition mediated by changes in the level of neurotransmitters associated with inhibition. Despite the widespread declines in function with normal aging, recent research suggests that perceptual learning can be used to dramatically improve visual function for older individuals. This research suggests a high degree of plasticity of the visual system among older populations and suggests that perceptual learning is an important tool for the recovery of age-related declines in vision. WIREs Cogn Sci 2012, 3:403-410. doi: 10.1002/wcs.1167 For further resources related to this article, please visit the WIREs website.