Learn about users: Aging: Changes in visual function

1. Learn about users:Aging: Changes in visual function Gaël Vasseur Tokyo Institute of Technology Graduate school of Information Science and Engineering Department of Computer Science Nakajima laboratory Master 1st year gaelvasseur@img.cs.titech.ac.jp

2. Content How big is the problem? Background information on human vision Changing in vision function Some Low Vision Products How big is the problem? Background information on human vision Changing in vision function Some Low Vision Products

3. How Big is the Problem? Some numbers: • 13% of the population is over 65 • 25% of the population is over 50, the age of when decline begins • in 30 years, the 65+ population will double (66 million people) • over 85 is the fastest growing segment of the population • these numbers don't include the large population of younger people with low vision from other causes.

4. Content How big is the problem? Background information on human vision Changing in vision function Some Low Vision Products How big is the problem? Background information on human vision Changing in vision function Some Low Vision Products

5. The human vision system:a very simple system

6. The human vision system:a very simple system

7. The human vision system:a very simple system • Retina

8. The human vision system:a very simple system • Retina • The retina : • contains the light receptors, the rods and cones • process the signals arising in the rods and cones before passing them back to the brain

9. The human vision system:a very simple system • Retina (2) • The macula : • a small and highly sensitive part of the retina responsible for detailed central vision • allows us to appreciate detail and perform tasks that require central vision such reading • The Fovea: • Very center of the macula

10. The human vision system:a very simple system • Retina (3) • The blind spot: • point on the retina where the approximately 1 million axons converge on the optic nerve, there are no rods or cones • Insensitive to light

11. The human vision system:a very simple system • Lens

12. The human vision system:a very simple system • Lens • The Lens: • Its shape is controlled by the ciliary muscle • enable the eye to adjust its focus between far objects and near objects

13. Content How big is the problem? Background information on human vision Changing in vision function Some Low Vision Products How big is the problem? Background information on human vision Changing in vision function Some Low Vision Products

14. Changes in visual function

15. Aging effects on vision • Normal changing on aging eyes • Losing focus • Declining sensitivity • Needing More Light • Eye disorders, health problems or injuries • Macular degeneration • Glaucoma • Cataract • Diabetic retinopathy

16. Aging effects on vision • Normal changing on aging eyes • Losing focus • Declining sensitivity • Needing More Light • Eye disorders, health problems or injuries • Macular degeneration • Glaucoma • Cataract • Diabetic retinopathy

17. Aging effects on vision • Normal changing on aging eyes • Losing focus (presbyopia) Cause: lens begins to lose elasticity, difficult to focus when looking close objects Affect activities such as reading

18. Aging effects on vision • Normal changing on aging eyes • Declining sensitivity Cause: The lens of the eye also becomes increasingly dense and more yellow Affect color perception and contrast sensitivity Make it difficult to see curves, Steps…

19. Aging effects on vision • Normal changing on aging eyes • Declining sensitivity

20. Aging effects on vision • Normal changing on aging eyes • Needing More Light Cause: pupil gets smaller, need for more light to see well, more time to adjust to changing levels of illumination Difficult to see when entering dimly restaurants, theaters…

21. Aging effects on vision • Normal changing on aging eyes • Losing focus • Declining sensitivity • Needing More Light • Eye disorders, health problems or injuries • Glaucoma • Macular degeneration • Cataract • Diabetic retinopathy

22. Aging effects on vision • Eye disorders, health problems or injuries • Glaucoma The optical nerve is damaged • subtle loss of contrast • difficulty driving at night • loss of peripheral • vision (late-stage glaucoma)

23. Aging effects on vision • Eye disorders, health problems or injuries • Glaucoma

24. Aging effects on vision • Eye disorders, health problems or injuries • Glaucoma

25. Aging effects on vision • Eye disorders, health problems or injuries • Macular degeneration The macula (central part of the retina) is damaged. Effects: central vision loss • vision becomes blurred and distorted • reading becomes difficult • color vision is reduced • increased need for light

26. Aging effects on vision • Eye disorders, health problems or injuries • Macular degeneration

27. Aging effects on vision • Eye disorders, health problems or injuries • Cataract Clouding of the lens that reduces visual acuity • vision seems hazy • trouble distinguishing colors • increased sensitivity to glare; • light scatters and appears like a "halo"

28. Aging effects on vision • Eye disorders, health problems or injuries • Cataract

29. Aging effects on vision • Eye disorders, health problems or injuries • Diabetic retinopathy Entire retina (including macula) damaged by leaking blood vessels (caused by diabetes) • blurred vision • near vision distortion • (difficulty reading)

30. Aging effects on vision • Eye disorders, health problems or injuries • Diabetic retinopathy

31. Content How big is the problem? Background information on human vision Changing in vision function Some Low Vision Products How big is the problem? Background information on human vision Changing in vision function Some Low Vision Products

32. How Big is the Problem?(review) Some numbers: • 13% of the population is over 65 • 25% of the population is over 50, the age of when decline begins • in 30 years, the 65+ population will double (66 million people) • over 85 is the fastest growing segment of the population • these numbers don't include the large population of younger people with low vision from other causes.

33. How Big is the Problem?(review) Some numbers: • 13% of the population is over 65 • 25% of the population is over 50, the age of when decline begins • in 30 years, the 65+ population will double (66 million people) • over 85 is the fastest growing segment of the population • these numbers don't include the large population of younger people with low vision from other causes. • Low vision products are a • very big market!! • Future products must be usable by • old people

34. Low vision products • Examples: Make bigger objects

35. Low vision products • Examples: Make objects bigger

36. Conclusion • There is a real need for products design for people suffering from low vision problems: “If medicine cannot help people well to use objects, let’s make the objects easier to use”

37. Related papers & web-sites • LightHouse International “AgingVision, A publication for Practitioners, Researchers and Educators Volume 16 Number 1 Spring 2004” • Hppt://www.Ligthhouse.org • Ian Overington “Computer Vision, a unified, biologically-inspired approach” Sowerby research center, British aerospace PLC, 1992. • http://www.findaneyedoc.com/ • http://www.stlukeseye.com/ • http://www.nanopac.com/ • http://www.independentliving.com/

38. Thank you for listening • Any question? • Any ideas?!!