The effect of aging on horizontal saccades and smooth pursuit eye movements

Linda Santamaria, MAppSc, DipAppSc (Orth), DOBA
Ian Story PhD, BBSc (Hons)

A review of the literature indicated that the decrease in ocular motor function with aging may only become apparent as saccadic amplitude and pursuit velocity increase. Tasks within the normal range of movement may show no decrement.
This study with 181 adult participants, from 17 to 78 years of age, measured the effects of aging by testing saccades and smooth pursuit movements, both those that were within the normal range of function and those that were greater. It was found that certain aspects of both saccadic and smooth pursuit eye movement function significantly declined with age – saccadic latency, duration and accuracy; pursuit gain, pursuit trace time and both frequency and amplitude of catch-up saccades. However, smooth pursuit movement showed a more marked decline with again than saccades.
These results suggest that the age related decline in eye movement function is due to degenerative changes in the central nervous system and raise the question as to whether these changes affect visual tasks or everyday activities.