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Cited by 208Retinal Development and DisordersRetinal Diseases and TreatmentsRetinal Imaging and Analysis

Retinal photoreceptor density decreases with age

Panda-Jonas, Songhomitra, Jonas, Jost B., Jakobczyk-Zmija, Martha·1995·Ophthalmology
DOI 10.1016/s0161-6420(95)30784-1
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Abstract

Purpose To evaluate the effect of age on the density of retinal photoreceptors in humans.Methods Fifty-five normal eyes from human donors, with a mean age of 58.7 +/- 19.1 years and an axial length of less than 27 mm, were examined. After opening of the globes by a 16-mm corneoscleral trephination, 25 retinal tissue samples were obtained in four meridians. The photoreceptors were counted on photographs taken from the photoreceptor inner segments after sonographic removal of the outer segments. The cones in the foveal center could not be evaluated.Results Outside the foveal center, the photoreceptor density decreased significantly with increasing age. In absolute and relative terms, the decline was more marked for the rods (mean rod loss, 236 +/- 63 cells or 0.37% +/- 0.10%/mm2 and year of a mean density of 62.987 rods/mm2) than for the cones (mean cone loss, 5.90 +/- 0.68 cells or 0.18% +/- 0.02%/mm2 and year of a mean density of 3320 +/- 578 cones/mm2). For both cones and rods, the cell loss was more marked at an eccentricity of approximately 5-8 mm than in the retinal periphery at an eccentricity of 14 to 20 mm. There were no significant differences between the superior, inferior, temporal, or nasal meridian nor between women and men.Conclusions The photoreceptors decrease in density with increasing age. The annual cell loss of approximately 0.2% to 0.4% is similar to the age-related loss of retinal ganglion cells and pigment epithelium cells. The decline in photoreceptor count affects more rods than cones. It does not prefer special age groups. It is more pronounced at an eccentricity of 5 to 8 mm than in the retinal periphery at an eccentricity of more than 14 mm. It may be important for an age-related decrease in visual functions and for diseases affecting the photoreceptors in elderly patients.

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  • With age, photoreceptor cells (rods much more than cones, peripheral more than central retina) and ganglion cells decrease in number and density; RPE cells also show parallel changes and progressive cell loss.

    “With age, photoreceptor cells (rods much more than cones, peripheral more than central retina) and ganglion cells, decrease in number and density; RPE cells also show parallel changes and progressive cell loss (Gao and Hollyfield, 1992; Panda-Jonas et al., 1995).”

    From Retinal ultrastructure of murine models of dry age-related macular degeneration (AMD) (2010) · cites this paper as Panda-Jonas et al., 1995

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Authors
Panda-Jonas, S., Jonas, J. B., & Jakobczyk-Zmija, M.
Affiliations
Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (DE)
Corresponding author
Jonas, Jost B.
ORCID
Jonas, Jost B.
Venue
Ophthalmology
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
1995-12
Volume
102
Issue
12
Pages
1853-1859
ISSN
0161-6420 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1016/s0161-6420(95)30784-1
OpenAlex
W2058399269
Cited by
208
References
36
Citations by year
2026: 5 · 2025: 12 · 2024: 9 · 2023: 9 · 2022: 22 · 2021: 15 · 2020: 8 · 2019: 7 · 2018: 5 · 2017: 7 · 2016: 12 · 2015: 6 · 2014: 8 · 2013: 9 · 2012: 11
FWCI
0.99
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Licence
www.elsevier.com/tdm/userlicense/1.0/ (tdm)
Locations
  • Ophthalmology (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Retinal Development and Disorders
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Ophthalmology › Retinal Diseases and Treatments
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Radiology, Nuclear Medicine and Imaging › Retinal Imaging and Analysis
Keywords
retinal photoreceptors, photoreceptor density, aging, rod photoreceptors, cone photoreceptors, photoreceptor loss, retinal eccentricity, age-related macular degeneration, retinal degeneration
MeSH terms
Adolescent, Adult, Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Aging, Cell Count, Female, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Photoreceptor Cells, Retina

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