Rationale and protocol for the 7- and 8-year longitudinal assessments of eye health in a cohort of young adults in the Raine Study
Seyhan Yazar,
David A Mackey,
Robyn M Lucas,
Jeremy A Guggenheim,
Jason Charng,
Samantha Sze-Yee Lee,
Christopher Hammond,
Gareth Lingham,
Paul G Sanfilippo,
Fred K Chen,
Fletcher Ng,
Leon M Straker,
Peter R Eastwood,
Stuart MacGregor,
Kathryn A Rose,
Minas T Coroneo
Affiliations
Seyhan Yazar
1 Centre for Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Lions Eye Institute, University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
David A Mackey
Lions Eye Institute (Centre for Ophthalmology and Visual Science), University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
Robyn M Lucas
Australian National University, Research School of Population Health, College of Health and Medicine, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
Jeremy A Guggenheim
School of Optometry and Vision Science, Cardiff University, Cardiff, South Glamorgan, UK
Jason Charng
Centre for Ophthalmology and Visual Science, University of Western Australia, Nedlands, Western Australia, Australia
Samantha Sze-Yee Lee
Centre for Ophthalmology and Visual Science, University of Western Australia, Nedlands, Western Australia, Australia
Christopher Hammond
Department of Twin Research & Genetic Epidemiology, King’s College London, London, UK
Gareth Lingham
1 Centre for Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Lions Eye Institute, University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
Paul G Sanfilippo
Centre for Eye Research Australia, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Fred K Chen
Lions Eye Institute (Centre for Ophthalmology and Visual Science), University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
Fletcher Ng
Lions Eye Institute, Nedlands, Western Australia, Australia
Leon M Straker
School of Physiotherapy and Exercise Science, Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
Peter R Eastwood
Centre for Sleep Science, School of Human Sciences, University of Western Australia, Crawley, Western Australia, Australia
Stuart MacGregor
Genetics and Population Health, Queensland Institute of Medical Research - QIMR, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Kathryn A Rose
University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Minas T Coroneo
Department of Ophthalmology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
IntroductionEye diseases and visual impairment more commonly affect elderly adults, thus, the majority of ophthalmic cohort studies have focused on older adults. Cohort studies on the ocular health of younger adults, on the other hand, have been few. The Raine Study is a longitudinal study that has been following a cohort since their birth in 1989–1991. As part of the 20-year follow-up of the Raine Study, participants underwent a comprehensive eye examination. As part of the 27- and 28-year follow-ups, eye assessments are being conducted and the data collected will be compared with those of the 20-year follow-up. This will provide an estimate of population incidence and updated prevalence of ocular conditions such as myopia and keratoconus, as well as longitudinal change in ocular parameters in young Australian adults. Additionally, the data will allow exploration of the environmental, health and genetic factors underlying inter-subject differential long-term ocular changes.Methods and analysisParticipants are being contacted via telephone, email and/or social media and invited to participate in the eye examination. At the 27-year follow-up, participants completed a follow-up eye screening, which assessed visual acuity, autorefraction, ocular biometry and ocular sun exposure. Currently, at the 28-year follow-up, a comprehensive eye examination is being conducted which, in addition to all the eye tests performed at the 27-year follow-up visit, includes tonometry, optical coherence tomography, funduscopy and anterior segment topography, among others. Outcome measures include the incidence of refractive error and pterygium, an updated prevalence of these conditions, and the 8-year change in ocular parameters.Ethics and disseminationThe Raine Study is registered in the Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry. The Gen2 20-year, 27-year and 28-year follow-ups are approved by the Human Research Ethics Committee of the University of Western Australia. Findings resulting from the study will be published in health or medical journals and presented at conferences.Trial registration numberACTRN12617001599369; Active, not recruiting.
