DOES AGE EFFECT HOW WELL A PERSON SEES IN THE DARK?

Brittany LutheranSharpsville Area Middle SchoolEighth Grade

QUESTION

Will the age of a person effect how well a person can see in

the dark?

MOTIVATION

The reason I chose to do my project is that my vision is

not very good, and I wanted to know once I get older if

my vision would get worse. I also chose to test my

subjects in the dark because darkness adds a challenge

that I am curious about.

RESEARCH Vision is the process in which light

waves from an object being looked at are registered, interpreted and stored as an image by the brain.

Various malfunctions in the process of vision may occur as a person ages.

RESEARCH

Rhodopsin is the chemical that allows night-vision. When exposed to a spectrum of light, the pigment immediately bleaches, and it takes about 30 minutes to fully regenerate.

Rhodopsin in the human rods is less sensitive to the longer red wavelengths of light.

Many animals have a tissue layer called the tapetum lucidum in the back of the eye that reflects light back through the retina, increasing the amount of light available for it to capture.

HYPOTHESIS

If a persons age is increased, then the

persons ability to see in the dark will decrease.

MATERIALS Ten people from each age group without glasses or contacts

Vision testing poster A dark room A box to cover light A night light

PICTURES

PROCEDURE

1. Gather ten people from the age groups of 7-8 year-olds, 12-13 year-olds, and 39-41 year-olds.

2. Have the vision testing poster, a dark room, and a light with a cardboard box over top ready.

3. Take the test subject into the room and give them one minute to adjust their eyes without looking at the poster.

4. After one minute have them start reading the poster from top to bottom or until they cannot see anymore.

5. Record data and repeat with other test subjects.

VARIABLES AND CONTROLS

Independent Variable: The age of the person being tested

Dependent Variable: How the subjects vision will change according to age

Controls: Amount of darkness and vision testing poster

CONCLUSION

In conclusion my hypothesis was proven correct. The 7 and 8 year olds had an average vision of 20/20 while the 12 and 13 year olds had an average of 20/30 and 39 through 41 year olds had an average of 20/50. this happened because when we age we lose eye lubrication and decreased muscle tone which affects how well we see.

GOING FURTHER

If I were to go further with my experiment I would test if gender effects how well a

person can see.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

http://womenshealth.aetna.com/WH/ihtWH/r.WSIHW000/st.36121/t.36335.html#Changes_In_Vision