eyesight and old age

[asset189]

As a youngster i could easily split the double in the handle of the plough. On christmas night there was an ISS pass around dusk, all my family were pointing it out but i could not see it with the naked eye, getting old has certailny weakened my eyes sad really

[ollypenrice]

As a youngster i could easily split the double in the handle of the plough. On christmas night there was an ISS pass around dusk, all my family were pointing it out but i could not see it with the naked eye, getting old has certailny weakened my eyes sad really

One reason for moving to the dark side. I'm in the same boat!

Olly

[Skylook123]

Two effects of aging come to mind.  First, when one is a teen ager/young adult, the pupil of the eye opens to around 7mm, the maximum it ever will.  Thereafter, the maximum pupil opening decreases by about 15% for every 15 years.  We lose aperture as we age, as well as flexibility in real time lens adjustability.  50 years ago, during an eye examination, the doctor told me that my pupil was at the low end of the distribution, only about 6.4 mm maximum opening, and I get the same assessment every exam; I have a smaller pupil opening than usual for my age.  I feel at times like a ballerina with a bum leg.

Second, age related cataracts begin to cloud our view, especially if one suffers from Type I or Type II diabetes or other maladies. 

As we age, we lose aperture, and we lose the full effect of the available photons coming in.  Both my wife and I are in our mid-60s; she had additional blood circulation troubles to her lenses, so had cornea transplants and lens implants.  She was stunned at how bright the views became, especially at night.  I have age related cataracts as well as the pupil opening reduction, so I need to wait until some time past sunset before the stars begin to pop out for me.  But with corrective eyeglasses, I can still split Mizar/Alcor in the night sky.

[CharlesW]

Don't even mention floaters. I've been watching one slowly cross my FOV for months now. Irritating.

[Fish]

Last 2-3 years my distance vision has deteriorated quite quickly, have worn glasses since 18 for distance and got used to very small changes in my eyesight. The large change in the last two years leaves me with crossed fingers that it slows down.

While at the optitions I asked if she could measure my dilated pupil, she did and reported 7 mm and she said it may go another 0.5-1 mm after proper dark adaptation. I was amazed at that but she allso told me that because of the size I would probably not be able to see detail as good as someone with a smaller pupil .

53 at the moment so just hope that I can continue observing with no glasses for a few more years.

[estwing]

Wish I could shift my floaters....

[Peter Drew]

At 73 I still have reasonable visual acuity in as much as I can split the Mizar/Alcor double but my planetary performance is below par needing a decent aperture to see detail well.

I can still make out faint objects satisfactorily but floaters are now becoming an annoyance,

[pete_l]

an ISS pass around dusk, all my family were pointing it out but i could not see it with the naked eye, getting old has certailny weakened my eyes sad really

There are other possibilities and "old age" doesn't have to be accepted an  inevitable.   So it might be worth going for an eye test.