REDUCTION IN STEREOACUITY WITH AGE AND REDUCED RETINAL ILLUMINANCE

Stereoacuity has been reported to decrease significantly in the sevent h decade of life. Could this decrease be due to a reduction of retinal illuminance in the ageing eye? In this study, we used a more rigorous psychophysical procedure than that used previously, on 35 subjects, a ged 21-67 years, to determine if the reported effect of age on stereoa cuity could be replicated. We also compared the stereoacuity of 15 hea lthy young adults under normal and reduced retinal illuminance. A forc ed-choice algorithm was used to improve the accuracy of measurements. Results suggest that the reduced retinal illuminance resulting from no rmal ageing is not the cause of the decreased stereoacuity found with ageing.