A study of the epidemiology of eye disease in the elderly.

In the period of 1982 - 1984, a cross sectional, prevalence study of eye disease in the elderly population of Melton Mowbray was carried out. The purpose of the study was to determine the prevalence of the three major blinding conditions in the elderly, namely senile cataract, chronic open-angle glaucoma and age related macular degeneration. The study population was a random sample of the surviving cohort of the Household Survey, which had previously been carried out by the Department of Community Health. Participants were asked to attend a special eye clinic in Melton Mowbray, where each was examined by an Ophthalmologist and an Ophthalmic Optician. The examination included measurement of visual acuity, refraction slit-lamp examination and fundus examination and photography after mydriasis. 529 persons from a study population of 677, participated in the study a response rate of 78%. The prevalence of senile cataract was 55.9%, chronic open angle glaucoma 4.5% and age-related macular degeneration 42%. Only 1.1% of the study participants had diabetic retinopathy. Significant associations for senile cataract were increasing age (p 0.05) and the female sex (p 0.001); for open angle-glaucoma, family history (p0.001) and the absence of arcus senilis (p0.05) and for macular degeneration, increasing age (p0.02) and the absence of arcus senilis (p0.001). A quarter of all participants had a corrected visual acuity of less than 6/18 in their better eye but over 80% had a reading vision of at least N8. The attenders and non-attenders have been compared and an attempt made to assess the amount of potential bias that may have been introduced into the study.