Blue Zones and Centenarians: Ocular Phenotypes of Exceptional Agers

This audio article is from VisualFieldTest.com.

Read the full article here: https://visualfieldtest.com/en/blue-zones-and-centenarians-ocular-phenotypes-of-exceptional-agers

Test your visual field online: https://visualfieldtest.com

Support the show so new episodes keep coming: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2563091/support

Excerpt:

Blue Zones, Centenarians, and Eye AgingPeople who live past 100 – centenarians – often amaze us not only with their long lives but also with remarkably preserved vision. In regions known as Blue Zones (like Okinawa Japan or Sardinia Italy), where people routinely reach extreme old age, residents tend to share lifestyles that may protect their eyes. We review what research has revealed about eye diseases – age-related macular degeneration (AMD), cataracts, glaucoma, and changes in the retinal microvasculature – in these oldest-old adults. We also explore how their diets, exercise, environment, and genes may help preserve vision, and what challenges researchers face when studying these “exceptional agers.” Finally, we highlight opportunities to apply these resilience insights to benefit everyone’s eye health.Eye Diseases in CentenariansAs people age, common eye disorders become more frequent. Major culprits include AMD (a deterioration of the central retina), cataracts (clouding of the lens), glaucoma (optic nerve damage, often linked to high eye pressure), and age-related vascular changes in the retina. What do we see in centenarians?Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD): Even in centenarians, AMD is common. In one study of 25 Japanese centenarian patients, about 40% of eyes showed some macular degeneration (). Interestingly, though AMD was prevalent, it was not the main driver of vision loss in that group. Instead, cataracts (see below) and chronic eye inflammation were the strongest factors harming vision (). This suggests that many rare individuals who survive to 100 may develop early AMD but either avoid its most severe form, or onset may be delayed. (It’s likely that people who develop aggressive AMD earlier simply don’t survive to become centenarians – a form of survivor bias.) Cataracts: Lens clouding is nearly universal with age. In the same centenarian study, 40% of eyes had significant cataract (). Cataracts in the oldest-old are often treatable – and cataract surgery can still greatly improve vision even at age 100+. For example, a report on centenarians undergoing cataract surgery found that all eight eyes studied had dramatic vision improvement after surgery, with no serious complications (). This underscores that age alone is not a barrier to safe surgery or better sight in these patients. In other words, many centenarians probably reach 100 years with cataracts, but surgery can restore vision if performed. Glaucoma: Surprisingly, nearly half the centenarian eyes in the Japanese study had glaucoma (46%) (). This high rate reflects widening optic disc cupping seen in age. Yet glaucoma did not predict poor visual performance in those patients (). It may be that glaucoma in many centenarians is well-controlled (e.g., mild open-angle glaucoma or treated cases), or that their optic nerves tolerate slow pressure changes. Still, glaucoma remains an important age-related risk factor for vision loss worldwide. Retinal Microvasculature: The tiny blood vessels of the retina tend to deteriorate with age. Studies show aging causes retinal capillaries to narrow and blood flow to drop (). Damage to these vessels underlies AMD and can contribute to other diseases (like retinal vein occlusions). We have little di