It’s common for vision to change with age, and the risk of eye disease unfortunately rises too. New research suggests a targeted treatment may slow or even wind back the eyes’ ageing process, helping older adults see more like they did when they were younger while supporting overall eye health.
The mouse study, published in Science Translational Medicine, builds on earlier work on the gene ELOVL2 (Elongation of Very Long Chain Fatty Acids Protein 2), a key marker of ageing. In that work, low activity of the ELOVL2 enzyme was linked with poorer vision, while boosting ELOVL2 in older mice increased levels of the omega-3 fatty acid docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and improved eyesight.
In the new study, researchers looked for a way to lift DHA-related benefits without relying on the ELOVL2 enzyme. They focused on the drop in very-long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (VLC-PUFAs) in the retina—the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye. This decline can develop over time and contribute to changes in vision, along with conditions such as age-related macular degeneration, a progressive disease that blurs central sight.
The team injected older mice with a specialised polyunsaturated fatty acid to counter that decline. Testing showed the mice saw light-and-dark patterns more clearly and performed better in dim light, pointing to a possible future option for age-related macular degeneration. The same effect wasn’t seen when mice received DHA alone.
“Our study suggests that restoring missing fatty acids can improve vision in older individuals,” says ophthalmologist Dr Dorota Skowronska-Krawczyk. “These fatty acids help the visual system process and send light signals more effectively. When this function is restored, vision improves and cells may suffer less damage.”
Eye specialists say the findings hint at more ways to treat age-related vision decline. “It’s exciting,” says ophthalmologist Dr Joshua Dunaief. Here’s what doctors want you to know.
Why might this treatment help reverse ageing in the eyes?
It’s important to note the study was done in mice, not humans. “The mouse retina is different from the human retina,” says ophthalmologist Dr Andrew Hartwick, noting it is geared more to night vision and lacks some features of a human retina. Still, he says the work offers an “intriguing foundation” for further research.
Why might this approach help wind back eye ageing? “Fatty acids are an important part of our diet as they serve as a primary energy source,” Dr Hartwick says. “They also play a key role in the membrane that provides structural support to the cells that are the building blocks of all the tissues and organs in our bodies, including the cells that are in the retina in the back of our eye.”
Fatty acids oxidise easily and need replenishing, which makes restoring them in the eye challenging, says Dr Dunaief. That’s why the study delivered them by injection.
By boosting very-long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids inside the eye, the treatment may counter age-related changes, Dr. Dunaief says. “This has potential for preventing or treating macular degeneration, which is a very common cause of central vision loss in the elderly,” he says.
How are age-related vision changes treated now?
It depends on the type of change you’re experiencing. “Some age-related vision problems, like presbyopia, can be corrected with glasses or contacts,” Dr Skowronska-Krawczyk says. “Cataracts can be treated with surgery.
But for the gradual vision decline described in our study, there’s no direct fix yet. As we age, we often need more light to read and more time to adjust to darkness. The best we can do is protect our eyes and try to slow these changes.”
Currently, macular degeneration is treated with monthly injections to prevent the abnormal blood vessel growth seen in the “wet” form of the disease, Dr Hartwick says. “There is already a precedent for using the eye-injection approach for treating human patients,” he says.
Dr Dunaief is also working on a pill that may help reverse age-related eye disease. “Monthly eye injections can be scary and annoying for patients, although they work and are generally well tolerated,” he says. “What we would prefer is a pill or a change in diet.” He points to research suggesting people who eat fatty fish twice a week have a lower risk of age-related macular degeneration.
Ultimately, more research is needed. “We have to put this through randomised clinical trials in humans to know if it could be helpful for people and if it’s safe,” Dr Dunaief says. “Then we can find out if this could be a viable treatment or prevention option for people with macular degeneration.”
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