Prevalence of age-related macular degeneration in old persons: Age, Gene/environment Susceptibility Reykjavik Study.

• Published in: Ophthalmology
• Main Authors: Jonasson, Fridbert, Arnarsson, Arsaell, Eiríksdottir, Gudny, Harris, Tamara B, Launer, Lenore J, Meuer, Stacy M, Klein, Barbara E, Klein, Ronald, Gudnason, Vilmundur, Cotch, Mary Frances
• Other Authors: Ophthalmology, Landspitali University Hospital, Iceland. [e-mail]
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier 2012
• Subjects: Age Factors; Aged; 80 and over; Cohort Studies; Environment; Female; Genetic Predisposition to Disease; Geographic Atrophy; Humans; Iceland; Macular Degeneration; Male; Prevalence; Retinal Drusen; Retinal Pigment Epithelium
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/2336/225823; https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ophtha.2010.08.044

To access publisher full text version of this article. Please click on the hyperlink in Additional Links field. PURPOSE: To describe the prevalence and signs of early and late age-related macular degeneration (AMD) in an old cohort. DESIGN: Population-based cohort study. PARTICIPANTS: We included 5272 persons aged ≥66 years, randomly sampled from the Reykjavik area. METHODS: Fundus images were taken through dilated pupils using a 45-degree digital camera and graded for drusen size, type, area, increased retinal pigment, retinal pigment epithelial depigmentation, neovascular lesions, and geographic atrophy (GA) using the modified Wisconsin Age-Related Maculopathy Grading System. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Age-related macular degeneration in an elderly cohort. RESULTS: The mean age of participants was 76 years. The prevalence of early AMD was 12.4% (95% confidence interval [CI], 11.0-13.9) for those aged 66 to 74 years and 36% (95% CI, 30.9-41.1) for those aged ≥85 years. The prevalence of exudative AMD was 3.3% (95% CI, 2.8-3.8). The prevalence of pure GA was 2.4% (95% CI, 2.0-2.8). The highest prevalence of late AMD was among those aged ≥85 years: 11.4% (95% CI, 8.2-14.5) for exudative AMD and 7.6% (95% CI, 4.8-10.4) for pure GA. CONCLUSIONS: Persons aged ≥85 years have a 10-fold higher prevalence of late AMD than those aged 70 to 74 years. The high prevalence of late AMD in the oldest age group and expected increase of elderly people in the western world in coming years call for improved preventive measures and novel treatments. National Institutes of Health, National Institute on Ageing and the National Eye Institute Z01-EY00401 N01-AG-1-2100 IHA Icelandic Parliament University of Iceland