age can result in visual impairment, whereby non-verbal communication is reduced, which can lead to isolation and possible depression. older adults, however, may not suffer depression as much as younger adults, and were paradoxically found to have improved mood despite declining physical health. macular degeneration causes vision loss and increases with age, affecting nearly 12% of those above the age of 80. this degeneration is caused by systemic changes in the circulation of waste products and by growth of abnormal vessels around the retina.