Prevalence Study Of Age-related Macular Degeneration Over The Age Of50’s In Wuxi

Objective Age-related macular degeneration (ARMD) is the most common cause of blindness in residents older than50years in developed countries, which showed increasing incidence year by year in China. However, it’s exact pathogenic mechanism is still less clear. At present, ARMD epidemiology data is less in China’s older population especially in south of Jiangsu. To investigate the prevalence and risk factors of ARMD, observe it’s visual acuity impairment in residents older than50years in Wuxi, China, and providing the basis for blindness blind.Methods Randomized cluster sampling was used in selecting residents aged>50years in28communities in Binhu District of Wuxi from June to December2010.6150individuals received a comprehensive eye examination and a detailed questionnaire, including cornea, pupil and lens, fundus were also carried out by using direct ophthalmoscopy, the diagnosis of ARMD was made according to the criteria of the Sub-society of Funds Disease, Chinese Ophthalmological Society:ARMD includes atrophic form and exudative form. Atrophic form is more slowly progressive in causing visual loss, and it’s clinical features include drusen, pigment clumping and/or retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) alterations and geographic atrophy. Patients develop gradually visual loss over a few years with central visuals slowly leading to a complete loss of vision. The exudative form of ARMD is more aggressive in it’s progression to severe central vision loss and characterized by choroidal neovascular detachment of the RPE and fibrovascular disci form scarring associated with poor visual prognosis.Results The survey contains6150subjects, there exists526cases which those eye fundus of retinal cannot seen, while948eye cannot see eye fundus among12,265, either. In the four ages of50to80years old, the prevalence of eyes that cannot be seen was3.66%,5.42%,18.65%,34.25%.7.84%, respectively. The prevalence of ARMD in the age groups of50～59,60～69,70～79and more than80were3.43%,7.73%,14.69%and16.51%, respectively (x2=160.162,P<0.05). In the ARMD patients,5.59%and19.71%of the eyes were identified as blind or with low vision. In exudative ARMD patients,22.64%and37.73%of the eyes were identified as blind or with low vision. The visual acuity of eyes with exudative ARMD was lower than the visual acuity of atrophic ARMD eyes. Risk factors related to ARMD are:Age, Gender, Education, History of smoking and alcoholics, cataract surgery, et al.Conclusions The prevalence of ARMD of residents aged>50years in Wuxi, China is relatively high. Meanwhile the prevalence of ARMD was significantly increasing with aging. Exudative ARMD leads to severe visual impairment.