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REVIEW: Epidemiology of age-related maculopathy: a review

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Abstract

Age-related maculopathy (ARM) is a degenerative disease of the retina and the leading cause of incurable blindness and visual impairment in industrialized countries. By definition, ARM is confined to the age-category above 50 years. The aetiology of ARM is still unknown, despite intensive research on many fronts. In this paper, we provide a review of the epidemiology of ARM. The most prominent findings were an exponential increase in frequency with age, a significant familial and genetic component, and a strong association with smoking. Other risk factors that were found less consistently were atherosclerosis, low intake of antioxidant nutrients, and cataract extraction. Future studies, both observational and experimental, will hopefully identify more risk factors that are amenable to prevention.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Erasmus Medical Centre, Rotterdam, The Netherlands

    Redmes van Leeuwen, Caroline C.W. Klaver, Johannes R. Vingerling & Albert Hofman

  2. Department of Ophthalmology, Erasmus Medical Centre, Rotterdam, The Netherlands

    Caroline C.W. Klaver & Johannes R. Vingerling

  3. Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Erasmus Medical Centre, Rotterdam, The Netherlands; Netherlands Ophthalmic Research Institute, KNAW, Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Department of Ophthalmology, Academic Medical Centre, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    Paulus T.V.M. de Jong

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  1. Redmes van Leeuwen
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van Leeuwen, R., Klaver, C.C., Vingerling, J.R. et al. REVIEW: Epidemiology of age-related maculopathy: a review. Eur J Epidemiol 18, 845–854 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1025643303914

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1025643303914

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