BioMed Central
(rmOv\hG9V Page 1 of 7
DCsamOA~ (page number not for citation purposes)
}_/]f!] BMC Ophthalmology
nxWm Research article Open Access
W
[*G
o Comparison of age-specific cataract prevalence in two
#fYRsVQ population-based surveys 6 years apart
HVJqDF Ava Grace Tan†, Jie Jin Wang*†, Elena Rochtchina† and Paul Mitchell†
ZUyS+60 Address: Centre for Vision Research, Westmead Millennium Institute, Department of Ophthalmology, University of Sydney, Westmead Hospital,
lR
k_<A Westmead, NSW, Australia
!>:SPt l Email: Ava Grace Tan -
ava_tan@wmi.usyd.edu.au; Jie Jin Wang* -
jiejin_wang@wmi.usyd.edu.au;
lw]uH<v Elena Rochtchina -
elena_rochtchina@wmi.usyd.edu.au; Paul Mitchell -
paul_mitchell@wmi.usyd.edu.au 0BwxPD#6bv * Corresponding author †Equal contributors
jn
5v
Abstract
Ku
RJo] Background: In this study, we aimed to compare age-specific cortical, nuclear and posterior
&6^ --cc subcapsular (PSC) cataract prevalence in two surveys 6 years apart.
MY60
% Methods: The Blue Mountains Eye Study examined 3654 participants (82.4% of those eligible) in
J$W4AT cross-section I (1992–4) and 3509 participants (75.1% of survivors and 85.2% of newly eligible) in
"S]G+/I|iw cross-section II (1997–2000, 66.5% overlap with cross-section I). Cataract was assessed from lens
`h|Y0x photographs following the Wisconsin Cataract Grading System. Cortical cataract was defined if
M}!
qH.W cortical opacity comprised ≥ 5% of lens area. Nuclear cataract was defined if nuclear opacity ≥
*HsA.W~2W Wisconsin standard 4. PSC was defined if any present. Any cataract was defined to include persons
mm9uhlV8 who had previous cataract surgery. Weighted kappa for inter-grader reliability was 0.82, 0.55 and
ECyG$j0 0.82 for cortical, nuclear and PSC cataract, respectively. We assessed age-specific prevalence using
vM@8&,; an interval of 5 years, so that participants within each age group were independent between the
?n]adS{ two surveys.
4@+']vN4 Results: Age and gender distributions were similar between the two populations. The age-specific
YV8PybThc prevalence of cortical (23.8% in 1st, 23.7% in 2nd) and PSC cataract (6.3%, 6.0%) was similar. The
cL<,]%SkE prevalence of nuclear cataract increased slightly from 18.7% to 23.9%. After age standardization,
xHCdtloi?I the similar prevalence of cortical (23.8%, 23.5%) and PSC cataract (6.3%, 5.9%), and the increased
]K3bDU~ prevalence of nuclear cataract (18.7%, 24.2%) remained.
U(PW$\l Conclusion: In two surveys of two population-based samples with similar age and gender
Q:j~
kutS| distributions, we found a relatively stable cortical and PSC cataract prevalence over a 6-year period.
No8-Hm The increased prevalence of nuclear cataract deserves further study.
(wFoI}s Background
Z
l;TS%$ Age-related cataract is the leading cause of reversible visual
bU/4KZ'-^ impairment in older persons [1-6]. In Australia, it is
G!`PP estimated that by the year 2021, the number of people
1 0zw}1x affected by cataract will increase by 63%, due to population
a)4%sX*I
aging [7]. Surgical intervention is an effective treatment
&"?99E> for cataract and normal vision (> 20/40) can usually
1S(n3(KRk$ be restored with intraocular lens (IOL) implantation.
_R(9O?;q Cataract surgery with IOL implantation is currently the
^D]J68)#a most commonly performed, and is, arguably, the most
!g`I*ZE+e cost effective surgical procedure worldwide. Performance
@eZBwFe Published: 20 April 2006
v
k=|TE BMC Ophthalmology 2006, 6:17 doi:10.1186/1471-2415-6-17
HYmUD74FR Received: 14 December 2005
Yg?BcY\ Accepted: 20 April 2006
${E^OE This article is available from:
http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2415/6/17 D^2lb"3 © 2006 Tan et al; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.
\>>P%EU, This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0),
)7]y
zc which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
m ?; ?I]` BMC Ophthalmology 2006, 6:17
http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2415/6/17 u;]xAr1 Page 2 of 7
k$ T (page number not for citation purposes)
Gov.;
hy of this surgical procedure has been continuously increasing
7p hf in the last two decades. Data from the Australian
REg
M Health Insurance Commission has shown a steady
2NJ\`1HZ\ increase in Medicare claims for cataract surgery [8]. A 2.6-
c_CVZR? fold increase in the total number of cataract procedures
*sZH3: from 1985 to 1994 has been documented in Australia [9].
tHo|8c~[ The rate of cataract surgery per thousand persons aged 65
\EU^`o+ years or older has doubled in the last 20 years [8,9]. In the
%$kd`Rl} Blue Mountains Eye Study population, we observed a onethird
BdiV increase in cataract surgery prevalence over a mean
P[-do 6-year interval, from 6% to nearly 8% in two cross-sectional
mhX66R population-based samples with a similar age range
Ll-QhcC$ [10]. Further increases in cataract surgery performance
/:Gy . would be expected as a result of improved surgical skills
7i{(,: and technique, together with extending cataract surgical
9PACXW0 benefits to a greater number of older people and an
YvcV801Go increased number of persons with surgery performed on
\y:48zd both eyes.
,Pcg+^A Both the prevalence and incidence of age-related cataract
czU" link directly to the demand for, and the outcome of, cataract
0^dYu/i5 surgery and eye health care provision. This report
!H)
- aimed to assess temporal changes in the prevalence of cortical
p4MWX12 and nuclear cataract and posterior subcapsular cataract
wBwTJCX (PSC) in two cross-sectional population-based
0+ $gR~^^ surveys 6 years apart.
c?EvrtND Methods
U|Gy 9
" The Blue Mountains Eye Study (BMES) is a populationbased
TEY~E*=}$ cohort study of common eye diseases and other
6
iMJ0 health outcomes. The study involved eligible permanent
DBB&6~;? residents aged 49 years and older, living in two postcode
A]5];c areas in the Blue Mountains, west of Sydney, Australia.
d6'G
7'9 Participants were identified through a census and were
.,p=e$x] invited to participate. The study was approved at each
P
"IR3= stage of the data collection by the Human Ethics Committees
Ikf[K%NKn of the University of Sydney and the Western Sydney
Tn1V+) Area Health Service and adhered to the recommendations
<7F-WR/2n of the Declaration of Helsinki. Written informed consent
[SC6{| was obtained from each participant.
tkcs6uy Details of the methods used in this study have been
jF0"AA described previously [11]. The baseline examinations
`MuX/[q (BMES cross-section I) were conducted during 1992–
6Q [ 1994 and included 3654 (82.4%) of 4433 eligible residents.
:,aY|2si Follow-up examinations (BMES IIA) were conducted
!pw)sO~ during 1997–1999, with 2335 (75.0% of BMES
?@,EGY< cross section I survivors) participating. A repeat census of
;]Q6K9.d8 the same area was performed in 1999 and identified 1378
CAC4A newly eligible residents who moved into the area or the
"W%YsN0 eligible age group. During 1999–2000, 1174 (85.2%) of
-Q@f), this group participated in an extension study (BMES IIB).
5X)M)"rq;V BMES cross-section II thus includes BMES IIA (66.5%)
EUuSN| a and BMES IIB (33.5%) participants (n = 3509).
`HQ)][ Similar procedures were used for all stages of data collection
eN,9N]K at both surveys. A questionnaire was administered
I{g.V|+x including demographic, family and medical history. A
IoLi7NKw detailed eye examination included subjective refraction,
xt?-X%oY8 slit-lamp (Topcon SL-7e camera, Topcon Optical Co,
3;BI
wb_ Tokyo, Japan) and retroillumination (Neitz CT-R camera,
I@ueeDY Neitz Instrument Co, Tokyo, Japan) photography of the
yj&GJuNb~ lens. Grading of lens photographs in the BMES has been
Zyz#xMmM previously described [12]. Briefly, masked grading was
lxL.ztL performed on the lens photographs using the Wisconsin
/Rq\Mgb Cataract Grading System [13]. Cortical cataract and PSC
fF0i^E< were assessed from the retroillumination photographs by
N, Ma\D+^t estimating the percentage of the circular grid involved.
-t|/g5.w_ Cortical cataract was defined when cortical opacity
)xV37] involved at least 5% of the total lens area. PSC was defined
/o;L,mcx* when opacity comprised at least 1% of the total lens area.
apk,\L@sZ Slit-lamp photographs were used to assess nuclear cataract
SKH}!Id}n using the Wisconsin standard set of four lens photographs
fYk>LW [13]. Nuclear cataract was defined when nuclear opacity
xyGwYv>*KO was at least as great as the standard 4 photograph. Any cataract
cr!W5+r was defined to include persons who had previous
*XhlIQ cataract surgery as well as those with any of three cataract
gE2
(E0H types. Inter-grader reliability was high, with weighted
UGO;5! kappa 0.82 for cortical cataract, 0.55 (simple kappa 0.75)
U~:H> for nuclear cataract and 0.82 for PSC grading. The intragrader
dw <i)P^
reliability for nuclear cataract was assessed with
%`&n ;K.c simple kappa 0.83 for the senior grader who graded
Dz~0( nuclear cataract at both surveys. All PSC cases were confirmed
hUlRtt by an ophthalmologist (PM).
c6xr[tc% In cross-section I, 219 persons (6.0%) had missing or
'\#q7YjaL ungradable Neitz photographs, leaving 3435 with photographs
<J;O$S available for cortical cataract and PSC assessment,
OCx'cSs-= while 1153 (31.6%) had randomly missing or ungradable
VAL?
Z Topcon photographs due to a camera malfunction, leaving
6LDZ|K@ 2501 with photographs available for nuclear cataract
iP(MDVg assessment. Comparison of characteristics between participants
h.vy SwF"j with and without Neitz or Topcon photographs in
0(y*EJA$ cross-section I showed no statistically significant differences
d%P2V>P between the two groups, as reported previously
\|Af26 [12]. In cross-section II, 441 persons (12.5%) had missing
4@0aN
6Os or ungradable Neitz photographs, leaving 3068 for cortical
%" H:z cataract and PSC assessment, and 648 (18.5%) had
+yO) 3 missing or ungradable Topcon photographs, leaving 2860
E D>7 for nuclear cataract assessment.
w
PR Ns9^ Data analysis was performed using the Statistical Analysis
F-3=eKZ System (SAS, SAS Institute, Cary, NC, USA). Age-adjusted
v)du]
prevalence was calculated using direct standardization of
#a}w&O"; the cross-section II population to the cross-section I population.
~RbVcB# We assessed age-specific prevalence using an
wMCMrv
: interval of 5 years, so that participants within each age
0OHXg=
group were independent between the two cross-sectional
\ZcI{t'a surveys.
wnX;eU/n BMC Ophthalmology 2006, 6:17
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epnZGz,A (page number not for citation purposes)
^N<a
HFF Results
n8EKTuy Characteristics of the two survey populations have been
{Ycgq%1>] previously compared [14] and showed that age and sex
#eKKH]J/ distributions were similar. Table 1 compares participant
cY!Y?O characteristics between the two cross-sections. Cross-section
aZ~e;}w.Zq II participants generally had higher rates of diabetes,
N#M>2b<A/T hypertension, myopia and more users of inhaled steroids.
Mt4]\pMUb Cataract prevalence rates in cross-sections I and II are
c(hC'Cp shown in Figure 1. The overall prevalence of cortical cataract
2Di~}* 9& was 23.8% and 23.7% in cross-sections I and II,
BPkMw'a: respectively (age-sex adjusted P = 0.81). Corresponding
P7}w^#x prevalence of PSC was 6.3% and 6.0% for the two crosssections
k`>qb8, (age-sex adjusted P = 0.60). There was an
^r}Uu~A> increased prevalence of nuclear cataract, from 18.7% in
<IR@/b!, cross-section I to 23.9% in cross-section II over the 6-year
TgV-U period (age-sex adjusted P < 0.001). Prevalence of any cataract
jF6Q:`k (including persons who had cataract surgery), however,
Z%o.kd" was relatively stable (46.9% and 46.8% in crosssections
Aa1#Ew<r I and II, respectively).
5L6.7}B After age-standardization, these prevalence rates remained
\KJTR0EB:> stable for cortical cataract (23.8% and 23.5% in the two
FsUH/Y
y surveys) and PSC (6.3% and 5.9%). The slightly increased
jR1^e$ prevalence of nuclear cataract (from 18.7% to 24.2%) was
w#9.U7@. not altered.
=X'EDw Table 2 shows the age-specific prevalence rates for cortical
{C`M<2W] cataract, PSC and nuclear cataract in cross-sections I and
vH6(p(l II. A similar trend of increasing cataract prevalence with
bL<H$DB6 increasing age was evident for all three types of cataract in
uu4!e{K both surveys. Comparing the age-specific prevalence
7]u_ between the two surveys, a reduction in PSC prevalence in
Q +hOW- cross-section II was observed in the older age groups (≥ 75
oBai9 [+ years). In contrast, increased nuclear cataract prevalence
miBCq l@x in cross-section II was observed in the older age groups (≥
\zcSfNE 70 years). Age-specific cortical cataract prevalence was relatively
=WCE "X consistent between the two surveys, except for a
)e[q%%ks reduction in prevalence observed in the 80–84 age group
56."&0 and an increasing prevalence in the older age groups (≥ 85
0* ^f
EoV years).
*>iJ=H Similar gender differences in cataract prevalence were
!b K;/) observed in both surveys (Table 3). Higher prevalence of
.h
w(; cortical and nuclear cataract in women than men was evident
x6T$HN/2 but the difference was only significant for cortical
LfnQcI$kO cataract (age-adjusted odds ratio, OR, for women 1.3,
%LdBO1D0 95% confidence intervals, CI, 1.1–1.5 in cross-section I
6EWCJ%_ and OR 1.4, 95% CI 1.1–1.6 in cross-section II). In con-
WFug-#;e Table 1: Participant characteristics.
C>l (4*S Characteristics Cross-section I Cross-section II
>SZuN"r8` n % n %
,+Ya'4x Age (mean) (66.2) (66.7)
'+|uv7|+v 50–54 485 13.3 350 10.0
/KiaLS 55–59 534 14.6 580 16.5
BH^cR<<j 60–64 638 17.5 600 17.1
Sr6iQxE 65–69 671 18.4 639 18.2
$H,9GIivD 70–74 538 14.7 572 16.3
}q /[\3 75–79 422 11.6 407 11.6
huin?,eGz 80–84 230 6.3 226 6.4
Y^?PHz'Go 85–89 100 2.7 110 3.1
FP6JfI8 90+ 36 1.0 24 0.7
Wu?[1L:x Female 2072 56.7 1998 57.0
||Wg'$3 Ever Smokers 1784 51.2 1789 51.2
.fzns20u Use of inhaled steroids 370 10.94 478 13.8^
j;rxr1+w History of:
\ ]h$8JwV Diabetes 284 7.8 347 9.9^
BGT`) WP Hypertension 1669 46.0 1825 52.2^
6:TA8w
| Emmetropia* 1558 42.9 1478 42.2
>F!X'#Iv Myopia* 442 12.2 495 14.1^
T6rjtq Hyperopia* 1633 45.0 1532 43.7
m`3gNox n = number of persons affected
j62oA$z * best spherical equivalent refraction correction
CYk"
^ P < 0.01
2f0_Xw_V_ BMC Ophthalmology 2006, 6:17
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k:E+]5 (page number not for citation purposes)
zU>bT20x/ t
Z@>WUw@F rast, men had slightly higher PSC prevalence than women
3n TpL# in both cross-sections but the difference was not significant
g>Kh? ( (OR 1.1, 95% CI 0.8–1.4 for men in cross-section I
U| 1&=8l and OR 1.2, 95% 0.9–1.6 in cross-section II).
{[FJkP2l Discussion
}KL( -Ui$ Findings from two surveys of BMES cross-sectional populations
1A9Gf with similar age and gender distribution showed
;ZLfb n3\ that the prevalence of cortical cataract and PSC remained
2k""/xMF' stable, while the prevalence of nuclear cataract appeared
kv/mqKVr to have increased. Comparison of age-specific prevalence,
h|&qWv with totally independent samples within each age group,
X1~ B confirmed the robustness of our findings from the two
*6*/kV?F survey samples. Although lens photographs taken from
'4d
+!%2t the two surveys were graded for nuclear cataract by the
\wo'XF3: same graders, who documented a high inter- and intragrader
'x\{sv reliability, we cannot exclude the possibility that
cY\"{o"C
variations in photography, performed by different photographers,
79(Px2H2 may have contributed to the observed difference
g JMv in nuclear cataract prevalence. However, the overall
lvZ:Aw
r Table 2: Age-specific prevalence of cataract types in cross sections I and II.
'@+a]kCMev Cataract type Age (years) Cross-section I Cross-section II
`]:&h' n % (95% CL)* n % (95% CL)*
B&