PREVALENCE AND RISK FACTORS OF ARMD AT TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL SMIMER, SURAT

INTRODUCTION

Age Related Macular Degeneration is senile macular degeneration due to pigmentary and atrophic changes in macular region causing impairment of central vision with increasing age. It is a leading cause of irreversible vision loss among people aged 50 years or older. It ranks as 3rd cause of blindness after Cataract and Glaucoma ⁽¹⁾ which has global prevalence of 8.7 %⁽²⁾. Prevalence of Age-Related Macular Degeneration in India is in range of 1.8% to 4.7% ⁽³⁾ . Given the projected rapid population growth and ageing of the population, Age Related Macular Degeneration is likely to emerge as a major public health threat in the near future. ⁽²⁾ It has been estimated that by  2025, the geriatric population would rise to more than 1.2 billion, of which ~ 840 million would  be living in the developing countries^.(4) It has therefore been included in the action plan of the  World Health Organization, to address avoidable blindness in VISION 2020 program^(2). ARMD is a multi-factorial disease and the full aetiopathogenesis of ARMD has not yet been unveiled. Studies from western population suggest that lifestyle, nutritional, and genetic factors are involved in the pathogenesis of ARMD. It is a chronic, degenerative disease affecting primarily the choriocapillaris, Bruch’s membrane (BM), Retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) and photoreceptors. Degeneration seems to be distinct conditions ⁽³⁾ .Daily smoking is a strong risk factor for the presence of late ARMD. Other risk factors are alcohol, tobacco chewing, hormonal therapy, cataract surgery etc. Identification of risk factor and their relation with ARMD should be done to decrease the number of new cases by modifying their life style and there by dependency. Increasing age and family history of disease are consistently established as associated risk factors for late AMD, neither of which can be modified. Life style modification can reduce the incidence of AMD. The aim of this publication is to estimate the prevalence of ARMD and identify the risk factors associated with ARMD.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

To estimate the proportion of age-related macular degeneration in patients aged   above 50 years attending eye OPD in tertiary health centre. To study the associated risk factors in case of age-related macular degeneration.