Objective　To　compare　the　attentional　bias　of　depressed　patients　and　non-depressed　control　subjects　and　examine　the　effects　of　age　using　eye-tracking　technology　in　a　free-viewing　set　of　tasks.　Methods　Patients　with　major　depressive　disorder　(MDD)　and　non-depressed　control　subjects　completed　an　eye-tracking　task　to　assess　attention　of　processing　negative,　positive　and　neutral　facial　expressions.　In　this　cross-sectional　study,　the　tasks　were　separated　in　two　types　(neutral　versus　happy　faces　and　neutral　versus　sad　faces)　and　assessed　in　two　age　groups　(young＇　[18-30　years]　and　middle-aged＇　[31-55　years]).　Results　Compared　with　non-depressed　control　subjects　(n=75),　patients　with　MDD　(n=90)　had　a　significant　reduced　positive　attentional　bias　and　enhanced　negative　attentional　bias　irrespective　of　age.　The　positive　attentional　bias　in　middle-aged＇　patients　with　MDD　was　significantly　lower　than　in　young＇　patients,　although　there　was　no　difference　between　the　two　age　groups　in　negative　attentional　bias.　Conclusions　These　results　confirm　that　there　are　emotional　attentional　biases　in　patients　with　MDD　and　that　positive　attentional　biases　are　influenced　by　age.