What diseases of the eyes affected biblical men? A review of age-associated visual impairment.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVE The elderly have suffered from visual impairment for thousands of years. This report evaluates the first documented cases of visual disability in the elderly as described in the Bible. RESULTS Three old men suffered from a gradual loss of vision. It is more likely that either mature cataract, or age-related macular degeneration, or asymptomatic open-angle glaucoma, or ischemic optic neuropathy or optic nerve atrophy were associated with visual loss. Corneal ulceration or scarring can also be considered. Hereditary causes of optic nerve atrophy and retinal degeneration can be excluded. CONCLUSION This report demonstrates that the roots of contemporary modern gerontology lead back to biblical times.