Study of ocular aberrations with age

Aging has various effects on visual system. Vision deteriorate, contrast sensitivity decreases and ocular aberrations apparently make the optical quality worse across the years.

To prospective evaluate ocular aberrations along the ages.

Three hundred and fifteen patients were examined, 155 were male (39.36%) and 160 were female (60.63%). Ages ranged from 5 to 64 year-old, the study was performed from February to November, 2004. Patients were divided into 4 age-groups according to IBGE (Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística) classification: 68 patients from 5 to 14 year-old, 55 patients from 15 to 24 year-old, 116 from 25 to 44 year-old and 76 from 45 to 67 year-old. All patients had the following characteristics: best corrected visual acuity > 20/25, emmetropia or spherical equivalent < 3.50 SD, refractive astigmatism < 1.75 CD on cycloplegic refraction, normal ophthalmologic exam and no previous ocular surgeries. This protocol was approved by Federal University of São Paulo Institutional Review Board. Total optical aberrations were measured by H-S sensor LadarWave Custom Cornea Wavefront System (Alcon Laboratories Inc, Orlando, FLA, USA) and were statistically analysed. Corneal aberrations were calculated using CT-View software Version 6.89 (Sarver and Associates, Celebration, FL, USA). Lens aberrations were calculated by subtraction.

High-order (0.32 e 0.48 microm) and ocular spherical aberrations (0.02 e 0.26 microm) increased respectively in child and middle age groups. High order (0.27 microm) and corneal spherical aberrations (0.05 microm) did not show changes with age. Lens showed a statistically significant spherical aberration increase (from -0.02 to 0.22 microm). Vertical (from 0.10 to -0.07 microm) and horizontal coma (from 0.01 to -0.12 microm) presented progressively negative values with aging.

High-order and spherical aberrations increased with age due to lens contribution. The cornea did not affect significantly changes observed on ocular aberrations.