Aging in vision and action

Presentation

The natural deterioration of vision slowly but steadily induces loss of autonomy in the everyday life of the elderly. Age-related losses in visual acuity and depth, color, and contrast perception inevitably impact gait, balance, locomotion, spatial orientation, and goal-directed navigation. Since the world population is aging, the increased frequency of vision problems is a serious public health concern. Globally, there are 470 million people over 65 years old, which could reach 820 million by 2025 and close to 2 billion by 2050.

The specific functional and neurobiological factors responsible for sensitivity loss in various visual functions (e.g., contrast sensitivity, motion perception, visual attention, etc.) remain poorly characterized. We have adopted a cross-disciplinary approach to cross-link multilevel patterns of age-related functional consequences from behavior to the level of neuronal processing.

Our research activity relies on a number of state-of-the-art technological platforms, including the Streetlab, which allows us to carry out ecological-like behavioral experiments with people in situations of sensory deficit in a fully monitored controlled environment. We also develop a series of experimental platforms specific to our research areas, which will contribute to a unique know-how in the field of neurosensory aging. Innovative concepts will be made available to eye care providers for their professional development.