The present study investigated the ability of the elderly to discriminate colors. We focused on the visual characteristics of the elderly and investigated age-induced changes in color discrimination ability. We used the 100 hue test with a portable analyzer to determine ability to discriminate colors. All 100 hues were shown to 100 elderly subjects, and the results were analyzed with respect to age and eye disease. The study confirmed a significant correlation between total deviation score and age as well as between total deviation score and visual acuity, and revealed that the ability to discriminate all colors decreases with age. For all age groups, color discrimination ability was low for R, P hues and B, G hues, and high for Y, YR hues and P, B hues. These findings suggest that among the elderly, there are hues that are easier to discriminate and those that are relatively difficult to discriminate. Furthermore, among the various eye diseases present, there was a significant difference in the total deviation score between the elderly with cataracts and those without, thus suggesting that cataracts greatly affect color vision. This finding indicates that color vision is influenced by age-induced yellowing of the lens. The reduced ability to discriminate between colors in the elderly thus appears to be attributable to cataracts and yellowing of the lens.
