Visual function and adaptation across the lifespan

目的：许多物种严重依赖视觉。在人类中，大脑的很大一部分专门负责视觉功能，而视觉障碍是最令人恐惧的残疾之一。眼睛和视觉系统似乎确实能够适应环境的影响，从而打开了有利地改变结果的可能性，从而减少了视力损害。我的研究计划的长期目标是了解发育和衰老影响视觉系统的过程，以及这些过程可以在多大程度上通过视觉体验或适应来改变。其中一个目标是利用屈光发育的动物模型研究视觉体验改变对眼睛发育的影响。第二个目标是调查人类寿命的年龄范围内视觉功能的变化。 方法：在动物模型中，将使用新型晶状体来研究周边焦点在眼睛生长控制中的作用。Hartmann-Shack技术、检影验光和眼生物测量学将被用于研究像差、散光和屈光的日变化，作为诱导屈光不正中眼睛生长的定向信号的可能来源。将使用与人类视觉相关的回溯性横断面和纵向数据跨年龄的数学建模来研究视觉功能发育和老化的影响。我还建议开发一个前瞻性的横断面数据库，其中包括不同年龄段的人，用于研究视觉功能。 新颖性：这项建议的新颖性在于使用了一种新的透镜设计来研究眼睛生长的控制；精确测量高阶像差、屈光和眼内压的日变化；对大量个人在整个年龄范围内的视觉功能进行前瞻性研究；提供一个包含25年详细纵向视觉相关信息的数据库。 意义：近视的流行程度正在上升，据估计，近视影响了43%的北美人口和高达90%的亚洲人口。在一些人群中，近视患病率的增加发生在一代人之内，这表明这种变化在很大程度上是环境影响的结果。预防性治疗一直不成功，反映出屈光发育的基本机制仍不清楚。实际上，视觉功能的每一项指标都有一个发展到最大的时期，随后会下降到老年。最大限度地发展和促进健康老龄化是优先事项。鉴于视力在我们的生活质量中起着如此重要的作用，增加我们对视觉功能兴衰的理解对于优化发展和减少衰退、规划计划和分配资源至关重要。

Objectives: Many species rely heavily on vision. In humans large portions of the brain are dedicated to visual function, and visual impairment is one of the most highly feared disabilities. The eyes and visual system do appear to be capable of adaptation to environmental influences, opening the possibility of favorably altering outcomes, thus reducing visual impairment. The long term objective of my research program is to understand the processes by which development and aging affect the visual system and the extent to which these processes can be altered by visual experience or adaptation. One goal is to study the effects of altered visual experience on eye development using animal models of refractive development. A second goal is to investigate visual function change across the age range of the human lifespan. Approach: In animal models, novel lenses will be used to investigate the role of peripheral focus in eye growth control. The Hartmann-Shack technique, retinoscopy and ocular biometry will be used to investigate aberrations, astigmatism and diurnal variations in refraction as possible sources for the directional signal to eye growth in induced refractive error in animal models. Mathematical modeling across age of retrospective cross-sectional and longitudinal vision related human data will be used to study the effects of development and aging of visual functions. I am also proposing the development of a prospective cross-sectional database of individuals across the age range of the human lifespan for the study of visual function. Novelty: The novelty of this proposal lies in the use of a novel lens design to investigate control of eye growth; precise measurement of diurnal variation of higher order aberrations, refraction and intra-ocular pressure; the prospective study of visual function across the entire age range of the human lifespan for a large number of individuals; the availability of a database containing 25 years of detailed longitudinal vision related information. Significance: The prevalence of myopia is increasing and is now estimated to affect 43% of the North American population and up to 90% of Asian populations. In some populations the increase in the prevalence of myopia has occurred within a single generation suggesting that the change has occurred largely as the result of environmental influences. Preventative therapies have been unsuccessful reflecting the fact that the basic mechanisms which underlie refractive development are still unknown. Virtually every metric of visual function has a period of development to a maximum which subsequently declines into old age. Maximizing development and promoting healthy aging are priorities. Given that vision plays such a vital role in our quality of life, increasing our understanding of the rise and fall of visual function is vital for optimizing development and reducing decline, planning programs, and allocating resources.