Ocular risk factors for age-related macular degeneration: the Los Angeles Latino Eye Study.

PubMed ID: 20138605

Author(s): Fraser-Bell S, Choudhury F, Klein R, Azen S, Varma R; Los Angeles Latino Eye Study Group. Ocular risk factors for age-related macular degeneration: the Los Angeles Latino Eye Study. Am J Ophthalmol. 2010 May;149(5):735-40. doi: 10.1016/j.ajo.2009.11.013. Epub 2010 Feb 6. PMID 20138605

Journal: American Journal Of Ophthalmology, Volume 149, Issue 5, May 2010

PURPOSE To assess the association between ocular factors and age-related macular degeneration (AMD) in Latinos.

DESIGN Population-based, cross-sectional study of 6357 self-identified Latinos aged 40 years and older.

METHODS Ophthalmic examination included subjective refraction, measurement of axial length, evaluation of iris color, Lens Opacities Classification System II (LOCS II) grading of cataracts, and stereoscopic macular photographs for AMD lesions. Generalized estimating equation analysis incorporated data from both eyes to estimate odds ratios (OR) adjusted for covariates.

RESULTS After controlling for confounders (age, gender, and smoking), prior cataract surgery was associated with advanced AMD (OR, 2.8; 95% CI, 1.01, 7.8), increased retinal pigment (OR, 1.6; 95% CI, 1.02, 1.5), and retinal pigment epithelial depigmentation (OR, 2.2; 95% CI, 1.1, 4.4). The presence of any lens opacity was associated with soft drusen (OR, 1.2; 95% CI, 1.002, 1.5). Longer axial length (per mm) was associated with decreased odds of soft drusen, increased retinal pigment, and geographic atrophy (GA) (ORs, 0.8 [95% CI, 0.7, 0.9], 0.8 [95% CI, 0.7, 0.9], 0.7 [95% CI, 0.5, 0.9], respectively). Myopia was inversely associated with soft drusen (OR, 0.8; 95% CI, 0.7, 0.99). Lighter-colored irises were associated with GA (OR, 5.0; 95% CI, 1.0, 25.3).

CONCLUSIONS Cross-sectional associations of ocular factors such as cataract, cataract surgery, and refractive errors with early AMD lesions found in Latinos are consistent with those in non-Hispanic Whites. Additionally, prior cataract surgery was associated with advanced AMD.