The aging of the retina

This mini-review summarizes our current knowledge concerning the age-related changes that affect the retina. Over the last 10 years, our understanding of the genetics of hereditary retinal diseases has improved considerably. However, the modifications that occur in the retina as a result of aging are still under investigation. In this review, we place particular emphasis on the normal retinal alterations that occur with aging (gene modulation; psychophysical, structural and cellular alterations). We describe the events that occur during the pathological aging process, such as in age-related macular degeneration. Understanding these different modifications is essential if we are to find key players on which to base therapeutic interventions that may help to prevent the passage of normal aging process to the pathological aging process.