Ophthalmology (Eye & Ear Hospital) - Research Publications
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ItemCholesterol-lowering medications reduce the risk of age-related maculopathy progression(Australasian Medical Publishing, 2001-09)Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of blindness in elderly Australians. Currently, there are limited treatment options, and current research efforts are focused on determining the risk factors for AMD and developing effective treatment strategies. Some risk factors for cardiovascular disease have been shown to be associated with AMD, and one study has suggested that Alzheimer's disease is associated with age-related maculopathy. It has also been suggested that alleles of the apolipoprotein E (ApoE) gene may be associated with AMD, cardiovascular disease and Alzheimer's disease. Given this, it is interesting that statins - cholesterol-lowering medications - have been shown to decrease the risk of dementia and diabetes mellitus.
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ItemPrevalence and predictors of open-angle glaucoma : results from the Visual Impairment Project(Elsevier (American Academy of Ophthalmology), 2001-11)Purpose: To determine the prevalence and investigate predictors of open-angle glaucoma in Victoria, Australia Design: Two-site, population-based cross-sectional study. Participants: Permanent residents aged 40 years and older at recruitment from 1992 through 1996. Methods: A cluster-stratified random sample of 4744 participants from two cohorts, urban and rural, participated. Participants completed a standardized interview regarding demographic, lifestyle, and medical characteristics and a dilated eye examination including measurement of intraocular pressure, visual fields, cup-to-disc ratios, and paired stereo photography of the optic discs. A consensus panel of six ophthalmologists determined glaucoma diagnosis. Main Outcome Measure: Diagnosis of glaucoma (possible, probable, definite). Results: The prevalence of possible glaucoma cases was 1.2% (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.60, 1.7), of probable cases was 0.70% (95% CI, 0.39, 1.0), and of definite cases was 1.8% (95% CI, 1.4, 2.2). There was a significant increase in glaucoma prevalence with age across all definitions, but there was no difference in age-standardized rates between genders. A total of 60% of probable and definite glaucoma cases were undiagnosed before this study. Adjusted for age, the strongest risk factor for glaucoma was a positive family history of glaucoma (odds ratio, 3.1; 95% CI, 1.6, 5.3). Glaucoma patients who had not attended an eye care provider in the last 2 years were eight times (95% CI, 3.2, 20.4) more likely to have undiagnosed disease. Conclusions: These results support the importance of the genetic or familial basis of many glaucoma cases and highlight the need to develop appropriate techniques to screen for undiagnosed disease.
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ItemFive-year incidence of open-angle glaucoma: the Visual Impairment Project( 2002)Purpose: To determine the incidence of open-angle glaucoma (OAG) in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.Design: Population-based cohort study.Participants: Total of 3271 participants aged 40 years and older from Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.Main Outcome Measures: Five-year incidence of OAG. Methods: Particpants were recruited through a cluster random sampling from nine urban clusters. Baseline examination was conducted from 1992 through 1994, and the follow-up data were collected from 1997 through 1999. Each participant both at baseline and follow-up underwent a standardized ophthalmic examination including intraocular pressure measurement, visual field assessment, cup-to-disc ratio measurement, and paired stereo photographs of the optic disc. Glaucoma was assessed by a consensus group of six ophthalmologists that included two glaucoma specialists. Glaucoma was diagnosed as possible, probable, or definite. Results: The overall incidence of definite OAG was 0.5% (95% confidence limits [CL], 0.3, 0.7); probable and definite incidence of OAG was 1.1% (95%CL, 0.8, 1.4); and possible, probable, and definite OAG incidence was 2.7% (95% CL, 1.8, 3.7). The incidence of possible, probable, and definite OAG increases significantly as age increases (P<0.001). The incidence of definite OAG increases from 0% of participants aged 40 to 49 years to 4.1% of participants aged 80 years and older. The incidence of probable and definite OAG increases from 0.2% of participants 40 to 49 years to 5.4% o participants aged 80 years and older. The incidence of possible, probable, and definiete OAG increases from 0.5% of participants aged 40 to 49 years to 11% of participants aged 80 years and older. A nonsignificant but higher incidence of definite OAG among men was observed in this study when compared with women (odds ratio 2.2%; 95% CL, 0.9, 5.0). Fifty percent of the definite OAG participants were undiagnosed. Conclusion: The incidence of OAG increases significantly with age. The undiagnosed cases suggest the need to develop novel community screening strategies for glaucoma.
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ItemNo Preview AvailablePrevalence of associations of epiretinal membranes in the Visual Impairment Project(Elsevier, 2005)Epiretinal Membrane also referred as primary retinal folds, silent central vein obstruction, wrinkling of the internal retinal surface, preretinal gliosis, preretinal macular fibrosis, cellophane maculopathy, and macular pucker, is a condition characterised by proliferation of abnormal tissues on the surface of the macula or central retina of the eye.