AGEYE is a multi-national doctoral training network that offers research training in Vision Sciences, both as a new field of scientific investigation and as a strategy for research and innovation.

The ageing of the World population has both structural and functional consequences for the human visual system; they are mainly related to the loss of the eye’s ability to focus at different distances (presbyopia) and to the crystalline lens’ loss of transparency (cataract).

The study of ocular ageing and its implications in old people’s visual function constitutes an important training area for young researchers. It is indeed a multidisciplinary research field, since it requires knowledge and expertise in anatomy, physiological optics, psychophysics, physics, optometry and technology. The researchers’ training in vision science, as well as the team-building, management, and mobility experience gained through their participation in AGEYE, will open up research careers in academia or in the industry, since these abilities can be applied in a variety of situations that require analytical skills to deal with complex data sets or to gather accurate information.

The primary objectives of AGEYE are: 

1. To advance in our understanding of how the eye’s structural and physiological changes occur with age, and to improve the therapeutic alternatives available to restore those visual capabilities that are affected by ageing.

2. To train 10 early-stage researchers (ESRs) and 2 experienced researchers (ERs) in state-of-the-art concepts and leading-edge researcher techniques that are essential to study the human eye’s behaviour, while providing them with strong career-management skills and solid professional connections.

3. To boost the impact, the presence, and the international visibility of European research. For this purpose research training capacities in Vision Science will be structured through the establishment of a long-term synergic collaboration among 5 academic institutions and 4 prestigious companies that are well and internationally known for their excellence in complementary fields of Vision Science.