Near-infrared polarimetric imaging and changes associated with normative aging

J Opt Soc Am A Opt Image Sci Vis. 2018 Sep 1;35(9):1487-1495. doi: 10.1364/JOSAA.35.001487.

Abstract

With aging, the human retina undergoes cell death and additional structural changes that can increase scattered light. We quantified the effect of normative aging on multiply scattered light returning from the human fundus. As expected, there was an increase of multiply scattered light associated with aging, and this is consistent with the histological changes that occur in the fundus of individuals before developing age-related macular degeneration. This increase in scattered light with aging cannot be attributed to retinal reflectivity, anterior segment scatter, or pupil diameter.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Aging*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Infrared Rays*
  • Macular Degeneration / diagnostic imaging
  • Macular Degeneration / pathology
  • Middle Aged
  • Optical Imaging*
  • Retina / cytology
  • Retina / pathology
  • Young Adult