JOSA A FEATURE ANNOUNCEMENT
Aging of the Human Visual System
Submission Deadline: February 1, 2001
The editors of JOSA A are soliciting papers for a special issue on aging of
the visual system and vision. The study of lifespan changes in human vision
and physiological optics is a topic of continuing interest of members of
the Optical Society of America. The population as a whole is aging; it
therefore becomes crucial to study how vision changes and how to maximize
useful vision for as long as possible.
A complete understanding of vision includes the mechanisms at work for
people of all ages, and how these change. An accurate view is not limited
to a snapshot of young adults. In the human visual system, both structure
and function continue to change from birth onward. A broad scientific
approach, encompassing a wide variety of perspectives and disciplines, is
essential for understanding these changes and their impact on function and
performance.
The functional impairment caused by aging is of primary interest. New,
large scale studies are examining how function changes with age in an ever
broadening range of real world situations, such as dim illumination. Some
understanding of optical and neural contributions to the decline in vision
function with age has been achieved. There are many potential ways to help
offset the optical problems associated with the aging cornea and lens. As
the understanding of the optical changes improves, the associated
functional problems are now being addressed in novel ways. Basic scientists
are investigating the properties of retina and support cells, looking for
new means of preserving neural function or augmenting support.
For any thorough understanding of aging, it is necessary to separate normal
aging changes from the earliest signs of disease. Many of the primary
diseases causing vision loss have increased incidence with increasing age.
Understanding why this occurs is important in the study of vision. It is
also crucial in combating disease. Optical means for the early detection of
visual system or systemic disease, as distinguished from normal aging, must
be designed based on the changes in the aging eye. Finally, if the eye is
the window to the soul, it is also the window to blood supply and neural
circuitry. Many systemic changes occur with age that impact on the quality
of life, and these can be measured using novel optical techniques.
Suggested topics include:
Optics:
Aging, image quality and optical aberrations
Changes in optical properties of the lens with age and prebyopia
Myopia and hyperopia in older eyes
Changes in the optical properties of the cornea with age and tear film
Aging and intraocular scattering
Changes in the vitreous affecting image quality
New instrumentation and techniques for anterior segment measurements in
older adults
Retina and retina pigment epithelium:
Changes in the optical properties of the retina with age
Optical measurements in aged eyes of the structure or function of the
photoreceptor/retinal pigment epithelial complex
Optical measurements in aged eyes of the structure or function of the
neural retina
Changes in the microenvironment of the retina
Optical measurements of structure and function of the retina with aging or
in older adults
New instrumentation and techniques for retinal imaging in older adults
Image analysis in the aged eye
Changes in retinal or choroidal blood flow with aging
Distinguishing aging from early retinal disease
Psychophysics and function:
Visual system limitations on human performance in older adults
Spatial vision and aging
Color vision and aging
Changes with aging in dark adaptation, visual function in dim illumination
Changes in peripheral vision
Glare recovery
Changes with aging in electrophysiology
Optical limits on performance
Changes with aging in gaze or eye movements
New instrumentation and techniques for functional measurements in older adults
Papers should be identified as a Aging of the Human Visual System feature
issue paper and submitted to the Optical Society of America, Manuscript
Office, Journal of the Optical Society of America A (AHVS feature), 2010
Massachusetts Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20036.
Feature Editors
Pablo Artal
Univ. de Murcia
Lab. Optica, Dept. de Fisica
Campus de Espinardo
Murcia 30071
Spain
Phone: 34968367224
Fax: 34968363528
E-mail: pablo@um.es
Ann Elsner
Schepens Eye Res. Inst. Inc.
Physiological Optics Dept.
20 Staniford St.
Boston, MA 02114 - 2508
Phone: 617 723 6078
Fax: 617 523 3463
E-mail: elsner@vision.eri.harvard.edu
Marilyn Schneck
Univ. of California, Berkeley
School of Optometry -2020
Berkeley, CA 94720-2020
Phone: 510 642 5904
Fax: 510 643 5109
E-mail: mes@spectacle.berkeley.edu
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