Overview
- An international team examined eyeballs from sharks collected near Disko Island between 2020 and 2024, including specimens estimated to be over 100 years old.
- Retinas were overwhelmingly rod-based with membranes rich in long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids, and rhodopsin was tuned to blue wavelengths common in deep Arctic waters.
- Even in century-old eyes, researchers found intact retinal layers with no widespread degeneration typically associated with aging.
- Live observations documented sharks moving their eyes toward light, and measurements indicated corneal parasites do not block enough light to prevent vision.
- The authors hypothesize enhanced DNA repair or tissue maintenance helps preserve retinal function, noting ongoing follow-up work and cautioning against direct human extrapolation.