[Autophagy and vision]

Abstract

The retina is a light-sensitive tissue in the vertebrate eye that detects and processes visual images. The eye, including retina, is exposed to a variety of environmental insults and stressors, among which genetic mutations and age-associated alterations that impair their function. Autophagy is a catabolic pathway that promotes the degradation and recycling of cellular components under basal and stress conditions. Proteins, lipids, and even whole organelles are engulfed in autophagosomes and delivered to the lysosome for elimination. Research has only begun to examine the role of autophagy in the visual system. Here, we review the main studies that have sought to explain autophagy's importance for visual function.