Aging of the Cornea

Abstract

Unlike other ocular structures, as well as most tissues in the body, the cornea does not show important changes with normal aging. A variety of corneal aging changes have, however, been reported. Few of them are clinically evident, while others are demonstrated by chemical, biological, and structural studies. Distinction has to be made between conditions considered within the normal limits of aging and those of true disease processes that commonly affect the cornea in the elderly. The difference with other ocular structures is that changes of cornea due to aging are mostly asymptomatic and do not usually affect vision, hence they do not require treatment. However, some changes occur and, for example, the aged cornea becomes more susceptible to infection because of a decreased ability to resist a variety of physiological stresses. Furthermore, it is sometimes difficult to distinguish age specific deterioration from degenerations modified by environmental and genetic factors. The well-known clinical conditions that occur with age in the cornea will be described first. Then, a review of the effect of age on shape and different aspects of the cornea and its structural (anatomical) changes will be reported.