BioMed Central
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a$'=a09 BMC Ophthalmology
TZ%u;tBH: Research article Open Access
F;_L/8Ov1 Comparison of age-specific cataract prevalence in two
F
m{`?! population-based surveys 6 years apart
A!j6JY.w Ava Grace Tan†, Jie Jin Wang*†, Elena Rochtchina† and Paul Mitchell†
/I3>u Address: Centre for Vision Research, Westmead Millennium Institute, Department of Ophthalmology, University of Sydney, Westmead Hospital,
YDr/Cw>J Westmead, NSW, Australia
fo30f=^Gi Email: Ava Grace Tan -
ava_tan@wmi.usyd.edu.au; Jie Jin Wang* -
jiejin_wang@wmi.usyd.edu.au;
RA~%Cw4t Elena Rochtchina -
elena_rochtchina@wmi.usyd.edu.au; Paul Mitchell -
paul_mitchell@wmi.usyd.edu.au 5//.q;z * Corresponding author †Equal contributors
N!&$fhY) Abstract
@I^LmB
9* Background: In this study, we aimed to compare age-specific cortical, nuclear and posterior
' |> subcapsular (PSC) cataract prevalence in two surveys 6 years apart.
S+EC!;@Xg Methods: The Blue Mountains Eye Study examined 3654 participants (82.4% of those eligible) in
_PeBV< cross-section I (1992–4) and 3509 participants (75.1% of survivors and 85.2% of newly eligible) in
{qHf%y&[ cross-section II (1997–2000, 66.5% overlap with cross-section I). Cataract was assessed from lens
4^mpQ.]lO photographs following the Wisconsin Cataract Grading System. Cortical cataract was defined if
HO(9)sK cortical opacity comprised ≥ 5% of lens area. Nuclear cataract was defined if nuclear opacity ≥
8}kY^"*&X Wisconsin standard 4. PSC was defined if any present. Any cataract was defined to include persons
A<zSh}eh6 who had previous cataract surgery. Weighted kappa for inter-grader reliability was 0.82, 0.55 and
EJrn4QOs 0.82 for cortical, nuclear and PSC cataract, respectively. We assessed age-specific prevalence using
?lYi![.o an interval of 5 years, so that participants within each age group were independent between the
c`(] j
w two surveys.
'8 ~E Results: Age and gender distributions were similar between the two populations. The age-specific
b4$-?f?V prevalence of cortical (23.8% in 1st, 23.7% in 2nd) and PSC cataract (6.3%, 6.0%) was similar. The
/~Q2SrYH prevalence of nuclear cataract increased slightly from 18.7% to 23.9%. After age standardization,
6R+m;' the similar prevalence of cortical (23.8%, 23.5%) and PSC cataract (6.3%, 5.9%), and the increased
pZ,P_? prevalence of nuclear cataract (18.7%, 24.2%) remained.
C=
6 Vd Conclusion: In two surveys of two population-based samples with similar age and gender
]_yk,}88d distributions, we found a relatively stable cortical and PSC cataract prevalence over a 6-year period.
OJUH".o The increased prevalence of nuclear cataract deserves further study.
4epE!`z_& Background
*LbRLwt
Age-related cataract is the leading cause of reversible visual
IZV D.1 impairment in older persons [1-6]. In Australia, it is
DV(^h$1_ estimated that by the year 2021, the number of people
p<\yp<g affected by cataract will increase by 63%, due to population
b NBpt}$ aging [7]. Surgical intervention is an effective treatment
'{:WxGgi for cataract and normal vision (> 20/40) can usually
)/u?_)b4" be restored with intraocular lens (IOL) implantation.
0?]*-wvp Cataract surgery with IOL implantation is currently the
UGNFWZ c most commonly performed, and is, arguably, the most
Azun"F_f cost effective surgical procedure worldwide. Performance
I|?zSFa Published: 20 April 2006
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