BioMed Central
> 0)`uJ Page 1 of 7
R*eM 1 (page number not for citation purposes)
Dohe(\C@ BMC Ophthalmology
&YP>"< Research article Open Access
S%#Mu| Comparison of age-specific cataract prevalence in two
NVZNQ{ population-based surveys 6 years apart
S9+gVR8]C Ava Grace Tan†, Jie Jin Wang*†, Elena Rochtchina† and Paul Mitchell†
D|'Z c& Address: Centre for Vision Research, Westmead Millennium Institute, Department of Ophthalmology, University of Sydney, Westmead Hospital,
"E!p1 Westmead, NSW, Australia
@soW f Email: Ava Grace Tan -
ava_tan@wmi.usyd.edu.au; Jie Jin Wang* -
jiejin_wang@wmi.usyd.edu.au;
,
)3+hnFY Elena Rochtchina -
elena_rochtchina@wmi.usyd.edu.au; Paul Mitchell -
paul_mitchell@wmi.usyd.edu.au ?+o7Y1 k, * Corresponding author †Equal contributors
S9055`v5 Abstract
HOb\Hn|6jq Background: In this study, we aimed to compare age-specific cortical, nuclear and posterior
[/j-d subcapsular (PSC) cataract prevalence in two surveys 6 years apart.
RVy 87_J1 Methods: The Blue Mountains Eye Study examined 3654 participants (82.4% of those eligible) in
9 NSYrIQ" cross-section I (1992–4) and 3509 participants (75.1% of survivors and 85.2% of newly eligible) in
\9Zfu4WR cross-section II (1997–2000, 66.5% overlap with cross-section I). Cataract was assessed from lens
o%Q2.
photographs following the Wisconsin Cataract Grading System. Cortical cataract was defined if
{'aqOlw3<j cortical opacity comprised ≥ 5% of lens area. Nuclear cataract was defined if nuclear opacity ≥
?KW?]
o Wisconsin standard 4. PSC was defined if any present. Any cataract was defined to include persons
D"5~-9< who had previous cataract surgery. Weighted kappa for inter-grader reliability was 0.82, 0.55 and
iAhRlQ{Qu 0.82 for cortical, nuclear and PSC cataract, respectively. We assessed age-specific prevalence using
(I
g
*iJ%2 an interval of 5 years, so that participants within each age group were independent between the
;%9ZL[- two surveys.
sM[c\Z] Results: Age and gender distributions were similar between the two populations. The age-specific
13
p0w prevalence of cortical (23.8% in 1st, 23.7% in 2nd) and PSC cataract (6.3%, 6.0%) was similar. The
24l9/v' prevalence of nuclear cataract increased slightly from 18.7% to 23.9%. After age standardization,
hUc|X
m the similar prevalence of cortical (23.8%, 23.5%) and PSC cataract (6.3%, 5.9%), and the increased
c~;.m<yrf prevalence of nuclear cataract (18.7%, 24.2%) remained.
M!@[lJ Conclusion: In two surveys of two population-based samples with similar age and gender
-ZJ:< distributions, we found a relatively stable cortical and PSC cataract prevalence over a 6-year period.
u?/]"4 The increased prevalence of nuclear cataract deserves further study.
NYRNop( N# Background
1N*~\rV*? Age-related cataract is the leading cause of reversible visual
$nWmoe) impairment in older persons [1-6]. In Australia, it is
_:
x$"i estimated that by the year 2021, the number of people
:{<HiJdp affected by cataract will increase by 63%, due to population
qxh\umm+2 aging [7]. Surgical intervention is an effective treatment
\02e
zG for cataract and normal vision (> 20/40) can usually
p%'((!a2 be restored with intraocular lens (IOL) implantation.
PX'%)5:q;i Cataract surgery with IOL implantation is currently the
Atw^C+"vW& most commonly performed, and is, arguably, the most
h#9)M cost effective surgical procedure worldwide. Performance
ZO^+KE" Published: 20 April 2006
@"0qS:s]X BMC Ophthalmology 2006, 6:17 doi:10.1186/1471-2415-6-17
2{\Y<%. Received: 14 December 2005
cj)~7 WF Accepted: 20 April 2006
iV=#'yY This article is available from:
http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2415/6/17 X:5*LB\/v © 2006 Tan et al; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.
lQjq6Fl2 This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0),
IA'AA|v which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
TvR2lP BMC Ophthalmology 2006, 6:17
http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2415/6/17 R_}(p2 Page 2 of 7
Fk:(%ci (page number not for citation purposes)
fA^ O of this surgical procedure has been continuously increasing
@lI/g in the last two decades. Data from the Australian
'7^_$M3$\ Health Insurance Commission has shown a steady
a@./e @p increase in Medicare claims for cataract surgery [8]. A 2.6-
O<*iDd`(e fold increase in the total number of cataract procedures
W~4|Z=f from 1985 to 1994 has been documented in Australia [9].
6S
wHl_2% The rate of cataract surgery per thousand persons aged 65
n8
Fi?/ years or older has doubled in the last 20 years [8,9]. In the
STMc
Mm3 Blue Mountains Eye Study population, we observed a onethird
5`J.
ic increase in cataract surgery prevalence over a mean
Q=[&~^Y) 6-year interval, from 6% to nearly 8% in two cross-sectional
2iu;7/ population-based samples with a similar age range
&'R]oeag [10]. Further increases in cataract surgery performance
MX34qJ9k would be expected as a result of improved surgical skills
=
~yh[@R) and technique, together with extending cataract surgical
n| %{R|s benefits to a greater number of older people and an
Nuj%8om6 increased number of persons with surgery performed on
Jad'8}0J both eyes.
b4Z#]o Both the prevalence and incidence of age-related cataract
1/z1~:Il
link directly to the demand for, and the outcome of, cataract
YG% Zw surgery and eye health care provision. This report
,[x'S>
N aimed to assess temporal changes in the prevalence of cortical
#Jn_"cCRLx and nuclear cataract and posterior subcapsular cataract
6^p6v (PSC) in two cross-sectional population-based
3wK)vW surveys 6 years apart.
-V\33cA Methods
_L"rygit The Blue Mountains Eye Study (BMES) is a populationbased
kn!J`"b cohort study of common eye diseases and other
a*=e 3nS health outcomes. The study involved eligible permanent
/];F4AO5 residents aged 49 years and older, living in two postcode
Yd@9P2C areas in the Blue Mountains, west of Sydney, Australia.
d{0>R{uac Participants were identified through a census and were
9TeDLp invited to participate. The study was approved at each
6A%Y/oU+2 stage of the data collection by the Human Ethics Committees
1vobfZ-w9 of the University of Sydney and the Western Sydney
h7g9:10 Area Health Service and adhered to the recommendations
NY_Oo!)3 of the Declaration of Helsinki. Written informed consent
xH92=t-w was obtained from each participant.
zFOX%q Details of the methods used in this study have been
LnBkd:>} described previously [11]. The baseline examinations
)sW1a (BMES cross-section I) were conducted during 1992–
1[!Idl ?m 1994 and included 3654 (82.4%) of 4433 eligible residents.
?L_#AdK Follow-up examinations (BMES IIA) were conducted
oI^iL\\2h during 1997–1999, with 2335 (75.0% of BMES
*G=n${' cross section I survivors) participating. A repeat census of
xe
6x! the same area was performed in 1999 and identified 1378
0\.y0
K8 newly eligible residents who moved into the area or the
o'W &gkb9 eligible age group. During 1999–2000, 1174 (85.2%) of
@%RDw*L( this group participated in an extension study (BMES IIB).
KBX
dr5 2" BMES cross-section II thus includes BMES IIA (66.5%)
!I:6L7HdwB and BMES IIB (33.5%) participants (n = 3509).
!j\y
t Similar procedures were used for all stages of data collection
jLZ+HYyG9 at both surveys. A questionnaire was administered
#B54p@.} including demographic, family and medical history. A
eE1w<] Eg detailed eye examination included subjective refraction,
eqXW|,zUm slit-lamp (Topcon SL-7e camera, Topcon Optical Co,
e=YvMg Tokyo, Japan) and retroillumination (Neitz CT-R camera,
8^+Qn/b_% Neitz Instrument Co, Tokyo, Japan) photography of the
([s2F%S`@ lens. Grading of lens photographs in the BMES has been
='>k|s: previously described [12]. Briefly, masked grading was
D_'Zucq performed on the lens photographs using the Wisconsin
^lbOv}C* Cataract Grading System [13]. Cortical cataract and PSC
24
]O0K were assessed from the retroillumination photographs by
g
(|p/%H estimating the percentage of the circular grid involved.
i |cSO2O+ Cortical cataract was defined when cortical opacity
_^Rf*G ! involved at least 5% of the total lens area. PSC was defined
E}yl@8g:# when opacity comprised at least 1% of the total lens area.
"c=\? Slit-lamp photographs were used to assess nuclear cataract
.DIHd/wA using the Wisconsin standard set of four lens photographs
J/WPffqD
[13]. Nuclear cataract was defined when nuclear opacity
(7&[!PS was at least as great as the standard 4 photograph. Any cataract
8q}`4wCD$ was defined to include persons who had previous
cl)%qIXj}H cataract surgery as well as those with any of three cataract
enE8T3 types. Inter-grader reliability was high, with weighted
mam|aRzd kappa 0.82 for cortical cataract, 0.55 (simple kappa 0.75)
`UGHk*DL) for nuclear cataract and 0.82 for PSC grading. The intragrader
=l?5!f9 reliability for nuclear cataract was assessed with
7l%O:M(\ simple kappa 0.83 for the senior grader who graded
`+{|k)2B nuclear cataract at both surveys. All PSC cases were confirmed
D'c,z[ by an ophthalmologist (PM).
Tgc)'8A;BN In cross-section I, 219 persons (6.0%) had missing or
c2-NXSjsW ungradable Neitz photographs, leaving 3435 with photographs
e%u1O-* available for cortical cataract and PSC assessment,
UcKpid while 1153 (31.6%) had randomly missing or ungradable
{H=DeQ Topcon photographs due to a camera malfunction, leaving
2:Zb'Mj 2501 with photographs available for nuclear cataract
k[&+Iy assessment. Comparison of characteristics between participants
;gP@d`s with and without Neitz or Topcon photographs in
9YwK1[G6/ cross-section I showed no statistically significant differences
o!dTB,Molr between the two groups, as reported previously
@OV\raUO&V [12]. In cross-section II, 441 persons (12.5%) had missing
Kp!sn,: or ungradable Neitz photographs, leaving 3068 for cortical
Rbm"Qz cataract and PSC assessment, and 648 (18.5%) had
[f!sBJ! missing or ungradable Topcon photographs, leaving 2860
^
`!5!| for nuclear cataract assessment.
0L9z[2sj Data analysis was performed using the Statistical Analysis
k}(C.`. System (SAS, SAS Institute, Cary, NC, USA). Age-adjusted
Lp`q[Z* prevalence was calculated using direct standardization of
Xb@lKX5Re the cross-section II population to the cross-section I population.
{R5Q{]dK3 We assessed age-specific prevalence using an
xxL D8?@e7 interval of 5 years, so that participants within each age
1O"7%Pvw group were independent between the two cross-sectional
_3i
.o$GO surveys.
8!(4;fN$j. BMC Ophthalmology 2006, 6:17
http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2415/6/17 -|"W|K?nq Page 3 of 7
@zSI@Oq_ (page number not for citation purposes)
F@~zVu3' Results
Ztu _UlGC Characteristics of the two survey populations have been
WqlX'tA previously compared [14] and showed that age and sex
Hpo7diBE distributions were similar. Table 1 compares participant
e@}zp characteristics between the two cross-sections. Cross-section
!B cd\] q II participants generally had higher rates of diabetes,
%eW[`uyV hypertension, myopia and more users of inhaled steroids.
wDJbax? Cataract prevalence rates in cross-sections I and II are
{ULy B$\- shown in Figure 1. The overall prevalence of cortical cataract
^LO=&Cq was 23.8% and 23.7% in cross-sections I and II,
O{:_-eI&d respectively (age-sex adjusted P = 0.81). Corresponding
a"ZBSg( prevalence of PSC was 6.3% and 6.0% for the two crosssections
NZ`Mq (age-sex adjusted P = 0.60). There was an
P4@<`Eb increased prevalence of nuclear cataract, from 18.7% in
YaI8hj@} cross-section I to 23.9% in cross-section II over the 6-year
}A)>sQ period (age-sex adjusted P < 0.001). Prevalence of any cataract
[+dOgyK (including persons who had cataract surgery), however,
eJD!dGa was relatively stable (46.9% and 46.8% in crosssections
.b'hVOs{ I and II, respectively).
"_dh6naZX After age-standardization, these prevalence rates remained
]"? +R+ stable for cortical cataract (23.8% and 23.5% in the two
lrQ +G@# surveys) and PSC (6.3% and 5.9%). The slightly increased
rBG8.E36J prevalence of nuclear cataract (from 18.7% to 24.2%) was
?L.c~w;l not altered.
0=]RG Table 2 shows the age-specific prevalence rates for cortical
^D`ARH cataract, PSC and nuclear cataract in cross-sections I and
E07g^y"}i II. A similar trend of increasing cataract prevalence with
%{'hpT~h increasing age was evident for all three types of cataract in
3e~X`K1Q< both surveys. Comparing the age-specific prevalence
[;O 6)W between the two surveys, a reduction in PSC prevalence in
J`F][ A cross-section II was observed in the older age groups (≥ 75
gHCk;dmq81 years). In contrast, increased nuclear cataract prevalence
&}sC8,Sr in cross-section II was observed in the older age groups (≥
T^'NC8v 70 years). Age-specific cortical cataract prevalence was relatively
Mx&
P^#B3
consistent between the two surveys, except for a
pMJK?- ) reduction in prevalence observed in the 80–84 age group
cQj{[Wt4 and an increasing prevalence in the older age groups (≥ 85
mG;Gt=4 years).
z>_jC+ Similar gender differences in cataract prevalence were
9n][#I)a3 observed in both surveys (Table 3). Higher prevalence of
OW$?
6 cortical and nuclear cataract in women than men was evident
bvM\Qzc!<3 but the difference was only significant for cortical
tg%U2+.q cataract (age-adjusted odds ratio, OR, for women 1.3,
_VIVZ2mU= 95% confidence intervals, CI, 1.1–1.5 in cross-section I
,XmTKOc and OR 1.4, 95% CI 1.1–1.6 in cross-section II). In con-
!wl3}]q Table 1: Participant characteristics.
%trtP Characteristics Cross-section I Cross-section II
nr/^HjMV n % n %
FBfyW-
7 Age (mean) (66.2) (66.7)
v&:R{ 50–54 485 13.3 350 10.0
lqC
a%V 55–59 534 14.6 580 16.5
^s'ozCk 0 60–64 638 17.5 600 17.1
n1Ag o3NM 65–69 671 18.4 639 18.2
ebF},Q(48 70–74 538 14.7 572 16.3
^FLuhLS\* 75–79 422 11.6 407 11.6
Z4#lZS`'A 80–84 230 6.3 226 6.4
#vN\]e 85–89 100 2.7 110 3.1
m
.
2)P~a 90+ 36 1.0 24 0.7
maANxSzi Female 2072 56.7 1998 57.0
g+ `Ie'o< Ever Smokers 1784 51.2 1789 51.2
7QiJ1P.z Use of inhaled steroids 370 10.94 478 13.8^
-Kt36:| History of:
b2;Weu3WN Diabetes 284 7.8 347 9.9^
fT.5@RR7^ Hypertension 1669 46.0 1825 52.2^
dy u brIG Emmetropia* 1558 42.9 1478 42.2
l'
N>9~f Myopia* 442 12.2 495 14.1^
m{gK<T Hyperopia* 1633 45.0 1532 43.7
o{\@7'G n = number of persons affected
ZiDmx-X * best spherical equivalent refraction correction
>gDsjHQ6; ^ P < 0.01
_:om(gL BMC Ophthalmology 2006, 6:17
http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2415/6/17 whP>'9t.w Page 4 of 7
Xmy(pV!PF (page number not for citation purposes)
~AuvB4xe~ t
r8C6bFYM rast, men had slightly higher PSC prevalence than women
_-g:T in both cross-sections but the difference was not significant
zx{\SU (OR 1.1, 95% CI 0.8–1.4 for men in cross-section I
<R~(6krJwZ and OR 1.2, 95% 0.9–1.6 in cross-section II).
\~nUk7. Discussion
wP/rR D6 Findings from two surveys of BMES cross-sectional populations
;D]TPBE with similar age and gender distribution showed
=_cWCl^5 that the prevalence of cortical cataract and PSC remained
?"AcK"v stable, while the prevalence of nuclear cataract appeared
K@*m6) to have increased. Comparison of age-specific prevalence,
-'k<2 "z with totally independent samples within each age group,
O\OG~`HBN confirmed the robustness of our findings from the two
y>8!qVX survey samples. Although lens photographs taken from
)'%L#
the two surveys were graded for nuclear cataract by the
. 36'=K same graders, who documented a high inter- and intragrader
Jb $PlOQ reliability, we cannot exclude the possibility that
x)#k$QU variations in photography, performed by different photographers,
U$VTk may have contributed to the observed difference
uK(+WA in nuclear cataract prevalence. However, the overall
xNxIqq<k Table 2: Age-specific prevalence of cataract types in cross sections I and II.
k1-?2kf"{ Cataract type Age (years) Cross-section I Cross-section II
{LJCY<IGq n % (95% CL)* n % (95% CL)*
[W{`L_" Cortical 50–54 473 4.4 (2.6–6.3) 338 7.4 (4.6–10.2)
)Y?Hf2'] 55–59 522 9.2 (6.7–11.7) 542 9.0 (6.6–11.5)
WKxJ`r\ 60–64 615 16.4 (13.5–19.4) 556 16.7 (13.6–19.8)
$BH0W{S 65–69 653 26.2 (22.8–29.6) 581 23.6 (20.1–27.0)
N.
eSf 70–74 516 31.2 (27.2–35.2) 514 35.4 (31.3–39.6)
i8HSYA 75–79 366 40.2 (35.1–45.2) 332 39.8 (34.5–45.1)
D zDt:.JZ 80–84 194 58.8 (51.8–65.8) 163 42.9 (35.3–50.6)
WHAEB1c#Q 85–89 74 52.7 (41.1–64.4) 73 54.8 (43.1–66.5)
uX}M0W 90+ 22 68.2 (47.0–89.3) 14 78.6 (54.0–103.2)
d:sUh PSC 50–54 474 2.7 (1.3–4.2) 338 2.4 (0.7–4.0)
@gX@mT" 55–59 522 2.9 (1.4–4.3) 541 2.6 (1.3–3.9)
8n~@Rj5 60–64 616 4.6 (2.9–6.2) 548 5.7 (3.7–7.6)
HTx7._b 65–69 655 6.3 (4.4–8.1) 573 4.5 (2.8–6.3)
r="X\ [on 70–74 517 6.8 (4.6–8.9) 505 9.7 (7.1–12.3)
?wwY8e?S 75–79 367 11.4 (8.2–14.7) 327 9.5 (6.3–12.7)
u> >t"w 80–84 196 12.2 (7.6–16.9) 155 10.3 (5.5–15.2)
d G:=tf&1R 85–89 74 18.9 (9.8–28.1) 69 11.6 (3.9–19.4)
d\Dxmb]o 90+ 23 21.7 (3.5–40.0) 11 0.0
5QmF0z)wR Nuclear 50–54 323 1.6 (0.2–2.9) 331 0.9 (–0.2–1.9)
i@B5B2 55–59 386 2.3 (0.8–3.8) 507 3.6 (1.9–5.2)
TS3 00F 60–64 453 5.3 (3.2–7.4) 501 11.6 (8.8–14.4)
yDd&*;9%Qg 65–69 478 17.2 (13.8–20.1) 534 18.5 (15.2–21.9)
>{GC@Cw 70–74 392 27.6 (23.1–32.0) 453 36.0 (31.6–40.4)
eW >k'ez 75–79 255 45.1 (39.0–51.3) 302 55.6 (50.0–61.3)
9,,v0tE 80–84 146 54.1 (45.9–62.3) 147 73.5 (66.3–80.7)
.Uih|h 85–89 50 64.0 (50.2–77.8) 70 80.0 (70.4–89.6)
3*arW|Xm 90+ 18 72.2 (49.3–95.1) 15 73.3 (48.0–98.7)
kV<VhBql! n = number of persons
5gJQr%pS * 95% Confidence Limits
U_I'Nz!^t Cataract FMioguunrtea i1n ps rEeyvea lSetnucdey in cross-sections I and II of the Blue
#),QWTl3 Cataract prevalence in cross-sections I and II of the Blue
>/'WU79TYE Mountains Eye Study.
N+}yw4lb 0
+Tu:zCv. 10
`pcjOM8u 20
X)u
T-F y 30
bq
~'jg^# 40
c8}1-MKs_R 50
Jn:GqO cortical PSC nuclear any
pCg0xbc` cataract
kF\QO
[ Cataract type
V25u'.'v %
C(gH}N4 Cross-section I
.eeM&