Age changes of the human optic nerve head. A neurohistologic study.

Eleven human optic nerves from subjects in different decades ranging from the fifth to the ninth were investigated with the silver carbonate method to establish the pattern and frequency of age changes within the optic nerve head and their relationship with the glaucomatous excavation. It has been found that despite the occurrence of age degeneration at the same level of the cribriform lamina, there are definite anatomical differences as compared with glaucoma changes, especially regarding the distribution of axonal damage.