PubMed ID: 11438056
Author(s): Moss SE, Klein R, Klein BE. Asteroid hyalosis in a population: the Beaver Dam Eye Study. Am J Ophthalmol. 2001 Jul;132(1):70-5. PMID 11438056
Journal: American Journal Of Ophthalmology, Volume 132, Issue 1, Jul 2001
PURPOSE To estimate the prevalence of asteroid hyalosis and to examine correlates of asteroid hyalosis in a population-based cohort.
METHODS The population of Beaver Dam, Wisconsin, that was 43 to 86 years of age was examined from 1988 to 1990 (n = 4926). The population is predominantly white (99.4%) northern European. Asteroid hyalosis was determined from stereoscopic fundus photographs of three standard fields.
RESULTS Fundus photographs were gradable in 4747 subjects. Asteroid hyalosis was present in 1.2% (95% confidence interval, 0.9,1.5%). In subjects in which it was present, asteroid hyalosis was bilateral in 9%. Prevalence increased significantly (P .05) with diastolic blood pressure, hypertension, diabetes, cardiovascular disease history, high-density-lipoprotein cholesterol, serum calcium, cigarette smoking, physical activity, intraocular pressure, or refractive error. These relationships were confirmed in a multivariable logistic model.
CONCLUSIONS The current study documents the infrequency of asteroid hyalosis in the population as graded from three photographic fields of the fundus. It does not support previous observations of an association of asteroid hyalosis with diabetes or refractive error. The relevance of the new associations reported (body mass, alcohol) remains to be determined.