Prevalence of Vitreoretinal Interface Disorders in an Australian Population

Gerald Liew, MD, PhD; Helen Nguyen, BMedSci; I-Van Ho, MD, PhD; Andrew J. White, MD, PhD; George Burlutsky, MapplStat; Bamini Gopinath, PhD; Paul Mitchell, MD, PhD

Ophthalmology Science (Jun 2021)

Prevalence of Vitreoretinal Interface Disorders in an Australian Population

Gerald Liew, MD, PhD,
Helen Nguyen, BMedSci,
I-Van Ho, MD, PhD,
Andrew J. White, MD, PhD,
George Burlutsky, MapplStat,
Bamini Gopinath, PhD,
Paul Mitchell, MD, PhD

Affiliations

Gerald Liew, MD, PhD: Centre for Vision Research, Westmead Institute for Medical Research, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia; South West Retina, Retina Associates, Sydney, Australia; Corresponding author: Gerald Liew, MD, PhD, Centre for Vision Research, The Westmead Institute for Medical Research, University of Sydney, Westmead Hospital, 176 Hawkesbury Road, Westmead, NSW Australia, 2145.
Helen Nguyen, BMedSci: Centre for Vision Research, Westmead Institute for Medical Research, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
I-Van Ho, MD, PhD: Centre for Vision Research, Westmead Institute for Medical Research, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia; South West Retina, Retina Associates, Sydney, Australia; Macquarie University, Department of Ophthalmology, Macquarie Park, Sydney, Australia
Andrew J. White, MD, PhD: Centre for Vision Research, Westmead Institute for Medical Research, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
George Burlutsky, MapplStat: Centre for Vision Research, Westmead Institute for Medical Research, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
Bamini Gopinath, PhD: Centre for Vision Research, Westmead Institute for Medical Research, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia; Macquarie University, Department of Ophthalmology, Macquarie Park, Sydney, Australia
Paul Mitchell, MD, PhD: Centre for Vision Research, Westmead Institute for Medical Research, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia

Journal volume & issue: Vol. 1, no. 2
p. 100019

Abstract

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Purpose: To describe the prevalence, risk factors, and associations of vitreoretinal interface (VRI) abnormalities in a population-based study of older adults. Design: Cross-sectional analysis of cohort study participants. Participants: Of the 1149 participants (mean age, 76.1 ± 6.9 years) in the 15-year Blue Mountains Eye Study follow-up examination from 2007 through 2009, 905 (1791 eyes) had gradable time-domain or spectral-domain OCT scans of the macula from at least 1 eye. Methods: OCT scans were graded according to the International Vitreomacular Traction Study Group classification system of VRI abnormalities. Best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was recorded. Main Outcome Measures: Prevalence of VRIs. Results: Overall, 451 participants showed any VRI abnormality (49.8%). Prevalence of VRI abnormality by person was: vitreomacular adhesion (VMA), 33.6%; vitreomacular traction (VMT), 1.6%; epiretinal membrane (ERM), 21.4%; full-thickness macular hole (FTMH), 0.7%; and lamellar macular hole (LMH), 0.7%. Twenty-two percent of VMAs were focal, and 78% were broad based; 76% of VMTs were focal, and 24% were broad based. All FTMHs observed were large (>400 μm), with mean aperture size of 573 μm (range, 459–771 μm). Increased age was associated with higher ERM and lower VMA prevalence (P < 0.001 for both). Pseudophakia and myopia were associated with ERM (age- and sex-adjusted odds ratios [ORs], 1.48 [95% confidence interval (CI), 1.01–2.17] and 1.72 [95% CI, 1.05–2.81], respectively). Moderate or severe ERM and FTMH were associated with worse BCVA of 9.2 Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study (ETDRS) letters (95% CI, 3.4–15.0 ETDRS letters; P = 0.008) and 26.0 ETDRS letters (95% CI, 10.9–41.1 ETDRS letters; P = 0.001), respectively. Conclusions: The prevalence of VRI abnormalities is high in older individuals. Epiretinal membrane was associated with increasing age, pseudophakia, and myopia. Epiretinal membrane and FTMH may account for significant visual loss in the affected eye. This study provided useful population-based data on the prevalence of VRI abnormalities in older individuals.

Published in Ophthalmology Science

ISSN: 2666-9145 (Online)
Publisher: Elsevier
Country of publisher: United States
LCC subjects: Medicine: Ophthalmology
Website: https://www.journals.elsevier.com/ophthalmology-science/

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