Therefore, many elderly individuals have trouble focusing their eyes. Exposure to ultraviolet light can also yellow the lens. Changes in the lens may affect color vision. This may cause images to appear distorted or blurred. There may also be a loss of color sensitivity to green, blue and violet shades.
Cataracts decrease the amount of light that passes through the lens and can bend light abnormally.
Olfaction Changes in the nasal mucosa, cribriform plate and air passages may contribute to impaired odor recognition. The amygdala and other brain areas involved with smell may be damaged in older individuals. Reductions in the number of taste buds. Dentures that cover taste buds on the soft palate. Atrophy of small ear muscles.