Sharks may help prevent age related vision loss Research led by University of California Associate Professor Dorota Skowronska- Krawczyk suggests that the world's longest- living vertebrate, the Greenland shark, may hold valuable clues for preserving vision as humans age. The findings, published in Nature Communications, indicate that Greenland sharks - some of which are estimated to live for up to 400 years - maintain functional vision throughout their lifespan, showing no signs of retinal degeneration despite extreme age and harsh environmental conditions. According to the research, a robust DNA repair mechanism appears to protect retinal cells over centuries, while the sharks' visual systems are finely adapted to low- light environments. The team found that rhodopsin, a protein critical for dim-light vision, remains active in the shark retina and is tuned to detect blue light. Eyeballs from Greenland sharks caught between 2020 and 2024 near the University of Copenhagen's Arctic Station in Greenland were examined after being preserved by researchers. Histological analysis conducted at UC Irvine found no evidence of cell death in retinal tissue. A/Prof Skowronska-Krawczyk said the findings could open new avenues for preventing age-related vision loss and treating diseases such as macular degeneration and glaucoma. Tony Ireland Evolve Optometry Shop G03, Village Centre, Batemans Bay | 4472 8080 www.evolveoptometry.com.au evolve OPTOMETRY 57786 Sharks may help prevent age related vision loss Research led by University of California Associate Professor Dorota Skowronska- Krawczyk suggests that the world's longest- living vertebrate , the Greenland shark , may hold valuable clues for preserving vision as humans age . The findings , published in Nature Communications , indicate that Greenland sharks - some of which are estimated to live for up to 400 years - maintain functional vision throughout their lifespan , showing no signs of retinal degeneration despite extreme age and harsh environmental conditions . According to the research , a robust DNA repair mechanism appears to protect retinal cells over centuries , while the sharks ' visual systems are finely adapted to low- light environments . The team found that rhodopsin , a protein critical for dim - light vision , remains active in the shark retina and is tuned to detect blue light . Eyeballs from Greenland sharks caught between 2020 and 2024 near the University of Copenhagen's Arctic Station in Greenland were examined after being preserved by researchers . Histological analysis conducted at UC Irvine found no evidence of cell death in retinal tissue . A / Prof Skowronska - Krawczyk said the findings could open new avenues for preventing age - related vision loss and treating diseases such as macular degeneration and glaucoma . Tony Ireland Evolve Optometry Shop G03 , Village Centre , Batemans Bay | 4472 8080 www.evolveoptometry.com.au evolve OPTOMETRY 57786