Pseudoexfoliation in the Reykjavik Eye Study: prevalence and related ophthalmological variables.

• Published in: Acta Ophthalmologica Scandinavica
• Main Authors: Arnarsson, Arsaell, Damji, Karim F, Sverrisson, Thordur, Sasaki, Hiroshi, Jonasson, Fridbert
• Other Authors: Department of Ophthalmology, University of Iceland, Reykjavik, Iceland.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Munksgaard 2007
• Subjects: Age Distribution; Aged; 80 and over; Exfoliation Syndrome; Female; Humans; Iceland; Intraocular Pressure; Male; Middle Aged; Prevalence; Sex Distribution
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/2336/15738; https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1600-0420.2007.01051.x

To access publisher full text version of this article. Please click on the hyperlink in Additional Links field PURPOSE: To examine the age and sex-specific prevalence of pseudoexfoliation syndrome (PEX) and its relationship with some ophthalmological variables. METHODS: We carried out a population-based study using a random sample taken from the national population census for citizens of Reykjavik, aged > or = 50 years. A total of 1045 individuals participated in all parts of the study. Pseudoexfoliation was established by slit-lamp examination with a maximally dilated pupil carried out by two experienced ophthalmologists, who were masked to one another's results except in cases of disagreement where they had to reach a consensus. RESULTS: In all, 108 (10.7%) persons were found to have PEX in at least one eye. Prevalence increased from 2.5% in those aged 50-59 years to 40.6% in those aged > or = 80 years. Women were more frequently affected than men (12.3% versus 8.7%). This difference remained statistically significant after controlling for the effect of age (p < 0.001). Eyes with PEX were found to have higher intraocular pressure (IOP) than eyes without PEX (p < 0.05). However, PEX was not found to be related to central corneal thickness, anterior chamber depth, lens thickness, nuclear lens opacifications or optic disc morphology in a multivariate model. CONCLUSIONS: Pseudoexfoliation is an age-related phenomenon commonly found in Iceland. It is more commonly found in women than in men and is associated with elevated IOP.