Retinoid replacements and opsin agonists and methods for the use thereof

A method of treating a visual disorder in an aging subject due to a deficiency of 11-cis retinal in an eye of the aging human subject, comprising:

• administering a therapeutically effective amount of a synthetic retinoid to an eye of the aging human subject in need of such, wherein the human subject has a deficiency of endogenous 11-cis-retinal in the eye and the synthetic retinoid is a cis-retinoid that forms a functional opsin/chromophore complex in the eye.

A method of treating age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a decrease of night vision, or a decrease of contrast sensitivity in an aging human subject, comprising:

• administering a synthetic retinoid to an eye of the aging human subject, wherein the human subject has a deficiency of endogenous 11-cis-retinal in the eye and the synthetic retinoid is a cis-retinoid that forms a functional opsin/chromophore complex in the eye.

A pharmaceutical ophthalmological composition for use in treating a visual disorder in an aging subject due to a deficiency of 11-cis retinal in an eye of the aging human subject, comprising:

• a synthetic cis-retinoid, wherein when the synthetic retinoid is administered to the aging human subject, a functional opsin/chromophore complex is formed in the eye;
• and, a pharmaceutically acceptable vehicle.