Prevalence of age-related maculopathy at two points in time in an elderly British population

• Published in: Eye (London) Vol. 11; no. 3; pp. 301 - 314
• Main Authors: DICKINSON, A. J, SPARROW, J. M, DUKE, A. M, THOMPSON, J. R, GIBSON, J. M, ROSENTHAL, A. R
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Basingstoke Nature Publishing Group 01.01.1997
• Subjects: Age Distribution; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Biological and medical sciences; Disease Progression; England - epidemiology; Follow-Up Studies; Humans; Macular Degeneration - epidemiology; Macular Degeneration - pathology; Macular Degeneration - physiopathology; Medical sciences; Ophthalmology; Pigment Epithelium of Eye - pathology; Prevalence; Retinal Drusen - epidemiology; Retinopathies; Visual Acuity; England; United Kingdom; Great Britain; Europe; Human; Macula; Eye disease; Retinopathy; Drusen; Prevalence; Maculopathy; Degeneration; Epidemiology; Elderly; Public health; Age
• ISSN: 0950-222X; 1476-5454
• DOI: 10.1038/eye.1997.66

As the demography of Western society changes, the population prevalence of diseases such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is expected to rise. Despite this, there remains a paucity of quality data concerning the population prevalence of AMD, the commonest cause of blindness in the elderly. To report the prevalence of AMD at two points in time in an elderly population. A geographically defined random population sample of elderly people was defined in 1980, and studied in 1982-4. In 1990, a cohort of survivors was identified. Participants underwent full ophthalmic examination with fundus photography using the same camera on each occasion. Photographs were randomly encoded and graded by two independent masked observers using the Wisconsin Age-related Maculopathy Grading System. Disagreements were resolved by consensus. Eighty-eight survivors participated in the follow-up examinations. Of these, 82 subjects had gradable retinal photographs for both examination points in at least one eye. There were 158 pairs of images (initial and subsequent) available for analysis. The mean age was 80 years (range 77-90 years) at the initial examination, and 87 years (range 84-97 years) at the subsequent examination; 70.7% of subjects were female. Prevalence rates for the initial examination were: drusen 72.8%, drusen confluence 37.3%, degeneration of the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) 51.3%, increased pigment 22.2%, exudative AMD 1.9% and geographic atrophy 1.9%. Rates at second examination were: drusen 62.7% drusen confluence 41.8%, RPE degeneration 72.8%, increased pigment 16.5%, exudative AMD 3.8% and geographic atrophy 3.2%. This 'double' prevalence study provides detailed data on AMD lesions at two points in time in a population-based group of elderly people.