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Br J Ophthalmol 92:1439-1444 doi:10.1136/bjo.2008.141747
  • Review

Circadian photoreception: ageing and the eye’s important role in systemic health

Table 1 Relative circadian photoreception vs age*
10 years 15 years 25 years 35 years 45 years 55 years 65 years 75 years 85 years 95 years
10 years 1.0 0.9 0.8 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 0.1
15 years 1.1 1.0 0.9 0.7 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 0.1
25 years 1.2 1.1 1.0 0.8 0.6 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 0.1
35 years 1.6 1.5 1.3 1.0 0.8 0.6 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.2
45 years 2.0 1.8 1.6 1.3 1.0 0.7 0.5 0.3 0.2 0.2
55 years 2.8 2.5 2.3 1.8 1.4 1.0 0.7 0.5 0.3 0.3
65 years 3.8 3.5 3.2 2.4 1.9 1.4 1.0 0.6 0.5 0.4
75 years 6.1 5.6 5.0 3.9 3.0 2.2 1.6 1.0 0.7 0.6
85 years 8.2 7.6 6.7 5.2 4.1 3.0 2.1 1.4 1.0 0.8
95 years 10.0 9.2 8.2 6.4 5.0 3.6 2.6 1.6 1.2 1.0
  • *Circadian photoreception declines with ageing due to pupillary miosis and decreased crystalline lens transmission. This table presents circadian performance for an age in the top row relative to that of an age in the left column. For example, a person aged 45 has photoreception roughly half that of a 15-year-old and twice that of a 65-year-old. The table can also be used to estimate the light requirements for an age in the left column relative to that of an age in top row. For example, a person aged 65 needs roughly three times the illuminance of a 25-year-old and half that of a 85-year-old for equivalent circadian photoreception performance.

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