Abstract
As people grow older, changes in the retina occur as part of the natural course of aging. Additional changes in the retina come from pathological causes, for which an ophthalmology specialist may be asked to evaluate and treat. Often patients will present to an eye doctor with complaints of worsening vision or visual distortions that cannot be accounted for by media opacity (cataract) or refractive error. A solid working knowledge of the normal age-related changes of the retina, as well as a firm understanding of clinically relevant age-related pathology, will help any eye physician manage the aging patient population. The aim of this study is not only to fully understand the senile involution of retinal structures that allows us to observe the wonders of the world, but also to keep these structures intact for as long as possible. An increasing number of elderly give a good cause for investigation of age-related changes and/or diseases in the human retina. This chapter describes the major age-related changes and diseases of the human retina in aged people. The first part of the chapter deals with common lesions in the senile retina, while the second part describes the major diseases of the senile retina.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Owsley C, Jackson GR, Cideciyan AV, Huang Y, Fine SL, Ho AC, Maguire MG, Lolley V, Jacobson SG (2000) Psychophysical evidence for rod vulnerability in age-related macular degeneration. Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci. 41:267–273
Armstrong D (1984) Free radical involvement in the formation of lipo-pigments. In: Armstrong D (ed) Free Radicals in Molecular Biology, Aging and Disease. Raven Press, New York, p 137–182
Brizee KR, and Ordy JM (1981) Cellular features, regional accumulation, and prospects of modification of age pigments in mammals. In: Sohal RS (ed) Ageing Pigments Elsevier/North — Holland Biomedical Press, Amsterdam, p 176–181
Dykens JA (1999) Free radicals and mitochondria dysfunction in excyto-toxicity and neurodegenerative disease. In: Koliatos VE and Rantan RR (eds) Cell Death and Diseases of the Nervous System, Humana Press, Totowa, P 45–68
Handelman GJ and Dratz EA (1986) The role of antioxidants in the retina and retinal pigment epithelium and the nature of pro-oxidant induced damage. Adv. Free Radicals. Biol. Med. 2:1:89
Cavallotti C, Artico M, Pescosolido N, Feher J (2004) Age-related Changes in human retina. Can. J Ophthalmol. 39:61–68
Foulds WS (1980) Factors influencing visual recovery in retinal detachment surgery. Trans. Ophthalmol. Soc.U.K.100:72–77
Straatsma BR, Foos RY, Feman SS (1980) Degenerative diseases of the peripheral retina. In: Duane TD (ed) Clinical Ophthalmology. Harper & Row, Philadelphia, p 1–27
O'Malley PF, and Allen RA (1967) Peripheral cystoid degeneration of the retina. Incidence and distribution in 1,000 autopsy eyes. Arch. Ophthalmol. 77:769–776
Curcio CA, Millican CL, Allen KA, Kalina R.E. (1993) Aging of the human photoreceptor mosaic: Evidence for selective vulnerability of rods in central retina. Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci. 34:3278–3296
Marshall J (1987) The ageing retina: physiology and pathology. Eye. 1: 282–295
De Laey JJ (1988) Ophtalmologie geriatrique. In: Oosterhosch (ed) Traité de Geriatrie,Sociéte Scientifique de Medicine Generale, Bruxelles, p 263–488
Foos RY (1970) Senile Retinoschisis: relationship to cystoid degeneration. Trans. Am. Acad. Ophthalmol. 68:329–403
Byer NE (1989) Long-term natural history of lattace degeneration of the retina. Ophthalmology. 96:1396–1402
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2008 Humana Press, a part of Springer Science+Business Media, LLC
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Pescosolido, N., Karavitis, P. (2008). Age-Related Changes and/or Diseases in the Human Retina. In: Cavallotti, C.A.P., Cerulli, L. (eds) Age-Related Changes of the Human Eye. Aging Medicine. Humana Press. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-59745-507-7_9
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-59745-507-7_9
Publisher Name: Humana Press
Print ISBN: 978-1-934115-55-8
Online ISBN: 978-1-59745-507-7
eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)