Determinants of post-mydriatic intraocular pressure in phakic eyes with prevalent angle closure diseases.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to identify acute angle closure (AAC) risk following pharmacologic mydriasis and the factors affecting post-mydriatic intraocular pressure (IOP) in a population with a high prevalence of angle closure disease. METHODS: In total, 460 individuals aged ≥ 72 years were enrolled in this cross-sectional community-based screening program. IOP was measured at baseline and 1 hour after mydriasis. Individuals with post-mydriatic IOP spike > 6 mmHg received indentation gonioscopy and IOP-lowering medication. Linear regression analysis was used to identify ocular parameters associated with post-mydriatic IOP elevation. RESULTS: The mean age of participants was 77.8 ± 4.1 years, and 65.4% of them were men. In total, 21 eyes of 16 participants (3.48%) had post-mydriatic IOP spikes (range: 6-13.7 mmHg); among them, 15 eyes had an IOP of > 21 mmHg. None of the participants developed AAC. All eyes with IOP spikes were phakic, except for one with pseudophakic angle closure. Analysis of 381 participants with at least one phakic eye revealed that higher post-mydriatic IOP and IOP changes were associated with narrower angle grading, more extensive peripheral anterior synechiae, shallower central anterior chamber, and thicker lens. According to multiple linear regression analysis, post-mydriatic IOP was independently associated with baseline IOP and factors suggestive of crowded anterior chamber based on gonioscopic findings and central or peripheral anterior chamber depth evaluation in conjunction with lens thickness. CONCLUSION: Post-mydriatic IOP should be measured in phakic eyes with a crowded anterior chamber. Post-mydriatic IOP spikes can be effectively blunted with intervention to prevent AAC.

Prevalence and Pattern of Geographic Atrophy in Asia: The Asian Eye Epidemiology Consortium.

PURPOSE: Although there have been many population-based studies of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), only limited information is available in Asia on the epidemiology of geographic atrophy (GA). We aimed to determine the prevalence and patterns of GA through an analysis of multiple studies conducted within the Asian Eye Epidemiology Consortium (AEEC). DESIGN: Cross-sectional meta-analyses. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 97 213 individuals aged 40 years and older. METHODS: Data from 22 population-based studies from countries belonging to the AEEC were included. In all studies, AMD was defined on the basis of standardized grading systems. Geographic atrophy was defined as an area of pallor in the fundus with visibility of the underlying choroidal blood vessels and sharply defined borders. Random-effects meta-analysis was performed to estimate overall and age-, gender-, and region-specific pooled prevalence of GA. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Prevalence of GA per 1000 persons. RESULTS: The mean age was 60.8 ± 10.0 years, and 42 673 (43.9%) were male. Overall, a total of 223 individuals (0.2%) had GA. The pooled overall prevalence of GA was 1.57 per 1000 persons (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.04-2.10), which was 3 times less than that of neovascular AMD of 5.20 per 1000 persons (95% CI, 3.97-6.43). Compared with those aged 50 to 59 years, the prevalence of GA increased from 0.34 per 1000 persons (95% CI, 0.07-0.62) to 2.90 per 1000 persons (95% CI, 1.55-4.25) in those aged ≥70 years. The GA prevalence per 1000 persons was similar between urban (2.22; 95% CI, 1.22-3.23) and rural residents (1.33; 95% CI, 0.70-1.96). Geographic atrophy was more prevalent in South Asia (based on studies from India and Nepal, 3.82 per 1000 persons; 95% CI, 1.72-5.93) compared with East Asia (based on studies from China, Korea, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Japan, and the Singapore Chinese Eye Study, 0.76 per 1000 persons; 95% CI, 0.31-1.22, P = 0.005). CONCLUSIONS: Geographic atrophy is uncommon in Asian populations compared with those of European ancestry. Even within Asia, geographic differences in GA prevalence were seen. The findings of this meta-analysis suggest that better dissection of risk factors in the Asian population for GA may provide insights into the biological pathways that drive these late-stage manifestations, thus suggesting better targets for prevention.

Predicting progression of glaucoma from rates of frequency doubling technology perimetry change.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the ability of longitudinal frequency doubling technology (FDT) to predict the development of glaucomatous visual field loss on standard automated perimetry (SAP) in glaucoma suspects. DESIGN: Prospective, observational cohort study. PARTICIPANTS: The study included 587 eyes of 367 patients with suspected glaucoma at baseline selected from the Diagnostic Innovations in Glaucoma Study (DIGS) and the African Descent and Glaucoma Evaluation Study (ADAGES). These eyes had an average of 6.7 ± 1.9 FDT tests during a mean follow-up time of 73.1 ± 28.0 months. METHODS: Glaucoma suspects had intraocular pressure (IOP) >21 mmHg or an optic disc appearance suspicious of glaucoma. All patients had normal or nonrepeatable abnormal SAP at baseline. Humphrey Matrix FDT (Carl Zeiss Meditec, Inc, Dublin, CA) testing was performed within 6 months of SAP testing. The study end point was the development of 3 consecutive abnormal SAP test results. Joint longitudinal survival models were used to evaluate the ability of rates of FDT pattern standard deviation (PSD) change to predict the development of visual field loss on SAP, adjusting for confounding variables (baseline age, mean IOP, corneal thickness, and follow-up measurements of SAP PSD). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The R(2) index was used to evaluate and compare the predictive abilities of the model containing longitudinal FDT PSD data with the model containing only baseline data. RESULTS: Sixty-three of 587 eyes (11%) developed SAP visual field loss during follow-up. The mean rate of FDT PSD change in eyes that developed SAP visual field loss was 0.07 dB/year versus 0.02 dB/year in those that did not (P < 0.001). Baseline FDT PSD and slopes of FDT PSD change were significantly predictive of progression, with hazard ratios of 1.11 per 0.1 dB higher (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.04-1.18; P = 0.002) and 4.40 per 0.1 dB/year faster (95% CI, 1.08-17.96; P = 0.04), respectively. The longitudinal model performed significantly better than the baseline model with an R(2) of 82% (95% CI, 74-89) versus 11% (95% CI, 2-24), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Rates of FDT PSD change were highly predictive of the development of SAP visual field loss in glaucoma suspects. This finding suggests that longitudinal FDT evaluation may be useful for risk stratification of patients with suspected glaucoma.

Corneal hysteresis as a risk factor for glaucoma progression: a prospective longitudinal study.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the role of corneal hysteresis (CH) as a risk factor for the rate of visual field progression in a cohort of patients with glaucoma followed prospectively over time. DESIGN: Prospective observational cohort study. PARTICIPANTS: The study group included 114 eyes of 68 patients with glaucoma followed for an average of 4.0 ± 1.1 years. Visual fields were obtained with standard automated perimetry. Included eyes had a median number of 7 (range, 5-12) tests during follow-up. METHODS: The CH measurements were acquired at baseline using the Ocular Response Analyzer (Reichert Instruments, Depew, NY). Evaluation of rates of visual field change during follow-up was performed using the visual field index (VFI). Linear mixed models were used to investigate the relationship between rates of visual field loss and baseline CH, baseline intraocular pressure (IOP), and central corneal thickness (CCT), while adjusting for potentially confounding factors. An interaction term between IOP and CH was included in the model to investigate whether the effect of IOP on rates of progression depended on the level of CH. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Effects of CH, IOP, and CCT on rates of VFI loss over time. RESULTS: The CH had a significant effect on rates of visual field progression over time. In the univariable model including only CH as a predictive factor along with time and their interaction, each 1 mmHg lower CH was associated with a 0.25%/year faster rate of VFI decline over time (P<0.001). The multivariable model showed that the effect of IOP on rates of progression depended on CH. Eyes with high IOP and low CH were at increased risk for having fast rates of disease progression. The CH explained a larger proportion of the variation in slopes of VFI change than CCT (17.4% vs. 5.2%, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: The CH measurements were significantly associated with risk of glaucoma progression. Eyes with lower CH had faster rates of visual field loss than those with higher CH. The prospective longitudinal design of this study supports the role of CH as an important factor to be considered in the assessment of the risk of progression in patients with glaucoma. FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE(S): Proprietary or commercial disclosure may be found after the references.

Acute Necrotizing Retinopathy After Xen Gel Stent Implantation.

PRCIS: We report a case of a 45-year-old woman who developed serous retinal detachment, hypotony, and retinal necrosis after Xen gel stent implantation. ABSTRACT: A 45-year-old woman developed sudden blurring of vision 4 days after Xen gel stent replacement surgery. Persistent hypotony, uveitis, and serious retinal detachment rapidly progressed despite medical and surgical treatments. Retinal necrosis, optic atrophy, and total blindness developed within 2 months. Although infectious and autoimmune-related uveitis were ruled out through negative culture and blood test results, acute postoperative infectious endophthalmitis could not be completely excluded in this case. However, toxic retinopathy related to mitomycin- C was suspected eventually.

Association of neovascular age-related macular degeneration with migraine.

Patients with early onset vascular pathology have been reported to manifest neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD). While the blood vessels involved in pathogenesis of migraine remains controversial, it is generally accepted that a major contributor is blood vessel pathology. This study aimed to examine the association between migraine and AMD using a nationwide population-based dataset. Retrospective claims data were collected from the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database. We identified 20,333 patients diagnosed with neovascular AMD (cases), and we selected 81,332 propensity score-matched controls from the remaining beneficiaries in Taiwan's National Health Insurance system. We used Chi-square tests to explore differences in the prevalence of migraine prior to the index date between cases and controls. We performed multiple logistic regressions to estimate the odds of prior migraine among neovascular AMD patients vs. controls after adjusting for age, sex, monthly income, geographic location, residential urbanization level, hyperlipidemia, diabetes, coronary heart disease, hypertension, and previous cataract surgery. A total of 5184 of sample patients (5.1%) had a migraine claim before the index date; 1215 (6.1%) among cases and 3969 (4.9%) among controls (p < 0.001), with an unadjusted OR of 1.239 (95% CI 1.160~1.324, p < 0.001) for prior migraine among cases relative to controls. Furthermore, the adjusted OR was 1.201 (95% CI 1.123~1.284; p < 0.001) for AMD cases relative to controls. The study offers population-based evidence that persons with migraine have 20% higher risk of subsequently being diagnosed with neovascular AMD.

Association of Primary Open-angle Glaucoma With Tinnitus: A Nationwide Population-Based Study.

PRCIS: This study aims to investigate the association between primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) and tinnitus. We found that tinnitus was significantly associated with preexisting POAG [adjusted odds ratio (OR)=1.298]. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between POAG and tinnitus using nationwide population-based data from Taiwan. METHODS: Data for this case-control study were retrieved from the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database for all 542,682 patients with a first-time diagnosis of tinnitus (cases), and 1,628,046 propensity score-matched controls from Taiwan's National Health Insurance system. We performed multiple logistic regression analysis to estimate the odds (ORs) of prior POAG among cases versus controls. RESULTS: Of total 2,170,728 study patients, 85,257 (3.93%) had POAG before the index date of tinnitus, 25,496 (4.70%) among cases and 59,761 (3.67%) among controls (P<0.001). Multiple logistic regression analysis showed a significant association between prior POAG and tinnitus (OR=1.298, 95% confidence interval: 1.278-1.318) after adjusting for age, sex, monthly income, geographic location and residential urbanization level, hyperlipidemia, diabetes, obesity, anemia, rheumatoid arthritis, alcohol abuse, nicotine dependence, anxiety disorder, depressive disorder, and hypertension. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with POAG have a higher risk of tinnitus compared with those without the disease. Ophthalmologists should be aware of this association and further studies are needed to understand underlying mechanisms.

Pseudophakic pupillary block after phacoemulsification and posterior chamber intraocular lens implantation: Cause identification and treatment refinement.

BACKGROUND: Pseudophakic pupillary block (PPB) was rare in patients who undergo phacoemulsification and posterior chamber intraocular lens (PCIOL) implantation. Laser peripheral iridotomy was the most reported but ineffective treatment in the literature. METHODS: Retrospective, interventional case series of patients who developed PPB in Taipei Veterans General Hospital from 2017 to 2021. Clinical course, diagnostic methods, treatment and outcomes were recorded and discussed. RESULTS: Four eyes of three patients were documented. All of them had diabetes and diabetic retinopathy. Anterior segment Optical coherence tomography (OCT) of these patients showed an exudative membrane at the peripapillary area while slit lamp image could not provide a clear view due to the severely edematous corneal condition. Laser peripheral iridotomy and yttrium aluminum garnet (YAG) laser aiming to the peripapillary exudation were applied to break the PPB successfully. CONCLUSION: Diabetes mellitus, intravitreal injection and inflammation are crucial risk factors for PPB. Anterior segment OCT can be a useful diagnostic tool for the detection of the peripapillary exudative membrane while corneal clarity is compromised due to high intraocular pressure. In addition to peripheral laser iridotomy, an effective approach to resolve PPB may be the use of the YAG laser to break the exudative membrane.

Changes in intraocular pressure after pharmacological pupil dilatation in an elderly Chinese population in Taiwan: The Shihpai eye study.

BACKGROUND: Mydriatic drugs are often used in ophthalmic clinics for pupil dilatation to assess the optic nerve and retina. Clinical studies have indicated that an increase in intraocular pressure (IOP) after pupil dilation is noted in open-angle glaucoma patients, those with narrow angles and in normal subjects. Asians are more likely to have narrow angles. Moreover, age-related cataract may increase the crowdedness of the angle. This study aimed to assess the effects of mydriatic pupil dilatation on IOP in an elderly Chinese population. METHODS: The Shihpai Eye Study was a community-based, cross-sectional survey of vision and eye diseases among noninstitutionalized subjects aged 65 years and older in Shihpai, Taipei, Taiwan. IOP was taken using noncontact tonometry. The pupil was dilated with 1% tropicamide. IOP was measured again after maximal pupil dilatation 1 hour after mydriasis. RESULTS: Of the 2045 participants, 1361 (66.6%) participated in both the questionnaire and eye examinations. The mean IOP before pupil dilatation was 12.9 ± 3.1 mmHg and was 12.8 ± 3.4 mmHg (range: 5-36 mmHg) after pupil dilatation. IOP higher than 21 mmHg after pupil dilation was noted in 17 (1.34%) participants, of whom IOP exceeded 30 mmHg in two (0.16%). Overall, the changes in IOP before and after pupil dilatation were insignificant ( p = 0.04). In the final regression analyses, refractive status toward hyperopia ( p < 0.01) was the only significant factor associated with an increase in IOP of at least 4 mmHg after pupil dilatation. CONCLUSION: Our results revealed that the increase in IOP after pharmacological pupil dilatation was minimal, and the incidence of acute angle-closure attack was insignificant. Hyperopic status was the only factor related to an increase in IOP of > 4 mmHg. Caution should be exercised if one is hyperopic or has a history of glaucoma and rechecking IOP in these subjects is suggested after pharmacological mydriasis.

Association of Age-Related Macular Degeneration with Prior Hyperthyroidism and Hypothyroidism: A Case-Control Study.

Prior studies suggest a possible association between thyroid disease and the subsequent development of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), although it remains inconclusive. This study aimed to evaluate the association of AMD with prior hyper-/hypothyroidism based on nationwide population-based data. We retrieved records of the study patients from the National Health Insurance Research Database, 7522 patients with a first-time diagnosis of AMD and 7522 propensity score-matched controls. Multiple logistic regression analyses were performed to explore the association of neovascular AMD with previously diagnosed hyperthyroidism or hypothyroidism. The Chi-square test shows that there was a statistically significant difference in the prevalence of prior hyperthyroidism between cases and controls (1.18 vs. 0.13%, p < 0.001). Furthermore, there was a statistically significant difference the prevalence of prior hypothyroidism between cases and controls (0.44 vs. 0.69%, p < 0.001). Multiple logistic regression analysis reveals that AMD was statistically and significantly associated with prior hyperthyroidism after adjusting for age, sex, monthly income, geographical location, urbanization level, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, diabetes, and coronary heart disease (odds ratio (OR) = 9.074, 95% CI = 4.713−17.471). The adjusted OR of prior hypothyroidism in patients with AMD was 3.794 (95% CI: 2.099~6.858) when compared to the controls. We conclude that patients with thyroid dysfunction are at higher risk of developing AMD Results suggest that these patients could benefit from proactive regular eye checkups to detect evolving eye pathology, even while vision remains normal during the initial phases.

Absence of an Association between Macular Degeneration and Young-Onset Dementia.

A few population-based studies have reported an association between prior age-related macular degeneration and senile dementia. No study has explored a possible link between prior macular degeneration and young-onset dementia (YOD). This case-control study aimed to evaluate the association of YOD with prior macular degeneration diagnosed in the 5-year period before their index date. Data for this retrospective observational study were retrieved from Taiwan's National Health Insurance (NHI) dataset. A total of 36,577 patients with newly diagnosed YOD from January 2010 to December 2017 were identified as the study cohort, assigning their diagnosis date as their index date. Comparison patients were identified by propensity score-matching (three per case, n = 109,731 controls) from the remaining NHI beneficiaries of the period, their index date being the date of their first ambulatory care claim in the year of diagnosis of their matched YOD case. Chi-square test revealed no significant difference in the prevalence of prior macular degeneration between cases and controls (1.1% vs. 1.0%, p = 0.111). Conditional logistic regression analysis also showed an unadjusted odds ratio (OR) for prior macular degeneration of 1.098 among cases relative to controls (95% CI: 0.9797-1.232). Adjusted analysis confirmed that YOD was not associated with prior macular degeneration, adjusted odds ratio 1.098 (95% CI = 0.979-1.232). We conclude that patients with macular degeneration are not at increased risk for YOD.

Bleb-related infection after primary trabeculectomy: medical chart reviews from 1993 to 2021.

BACKGROUND: To investigate the incidence of and risk factors for bleb-related infection (BRI) in patients who underwent mitomycin C-augmented primary trabeculectomy. METHODS: We reviewed the medical charts of consecutive patients who had received primary trabeculectomy in Taipei Veterans General Hospital. We recorded the demographic and clinical characteristics of patients before, during and after surgery. Furthermore, we recorded the time interval between surgery and infection onset, clinical manifestations and visual outcomes of patients with BRI. The cumulative incidence of BRI was estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method. A Cox proportional hazards model was used to explore factors associated with BRI. RESULTS: In total, 1663 eyes were postoperatively followed up for 94.57±65.23 months. The cumulative incidence of BRI was 1.86 per 1000 person-years during the 28-year follow-up period: 24 (1.44%) patients developed BRI and 6 (0.36%) patients additionally developed endophthalmitis. A multivariate analysis revealed a significant association of BRI with wound manipulation, high myopia and hyperlipidaemia. Patients younger than 60 years were more likely to receive wound manipulation than their elderly counterparts (<0.001). One year after BRI, the best corrected visual acuity of the eyes with blebitis did not change significantly, whereas that of the eyes with endophthalmitis worsened significantly. CONCLUSION: Risk factors for BRI after trabeculectomy include wound manipulation, high myopia and hyperlipidaemia. Considering myopia is highly prevalent throughout the world and is a risk factor for glaucoma, the lifelong risk of BRI after trabeculectomy in eyes with high myopia warrants the attention of ophthalmologists.

Association between dry eye and depressive symptoms in an elderly Chinese population in Taiwan: the Shihpai Eye Study.

BACKGROUND: Dry eye may impact quality of life and daily activities and depression is a widespread illness. Many studies showed the two diseases often coexist. However, studies were limited to retrospective chart review. This study aimed to investigate the association between dry eye and depressive symptoms in an older Asian population. METHODS: The Shihpai Eye Study was a community-based, cross-sectional survey of vision and eye diseases among noninstitutionalized subjects 65 years of age and older in Shihpai, Taipei, Taiwan. Residents fulfilling these criteria were randomly selected to be invited to participate in the study, which included a questionnaire and an eye examination conducted between July 1, 1999 and December 31, 2000. RESULTS: Of the 2045 subjects recruited, 1361 (66.6%) completed the examination. 8.8% (95% confidence interval (CI): 7.3-10.3%) of the participants were diagnosed to have depressive symptoms. Under multivariate analysis, depressive symptoms were significantly associated with frequent symptoms of dry eye (odds ratio (OR): 1.97, 95% CI: 1.36-2.92; p < 0.001). None of the dry eye signs was associated with depressive symptoms. For participants reporting frequent symptoms, tear-film break-up time ≤ 10 s (OR: 2.06, 95% CI: 1.38-3.05; p < 0.001), Schirmer test score ≤ 5 mm (OR: 2.01, 95% CI: 1.33-3.03; p < 0.001), and meibomian gland disease (OR: 1.99, 95% CI: 1.31-3.01; p = 0.001) were significantly related to depressive symptoms. Fluorescein staining of the cornea was not correlated to depressive symptoms in participants with dry eye symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: Depressive symptoms are more highly correlated with dry eye symptoms than dry eye signs.

Comparison of the iCare, Tono-Pen, non-contact airpuff, and Goldmann applanation tonometers in eyes with corneal edema after penetrating keratoplasty.

BACKGROUND: To compare the utility of the iCare, Tono-Pen, and non-contact airpuff (NCT) tonometers with the Goldmann applanation tonometer (GAT) for measuring intraocular pressure (IOP) in patients with corneal edema after penetrating keratoplasty (PKP) and to assess the effects of central corneal thickness (CCT) and corneal curvature (CC) on IOP measurements. METHODS: Thirty-two eyes of 27 patients with corneal edema after PKP due to corneal abnormalities and 43 control eyes of 30 patients with normal corneas were recruited. Before IOP measurements, all patients underwent a baseline examination, including auto-refraction, keratometry, slit lamp biomicroscopy, and CCT measurement. IOP was measured using the devices in the same order: first the NCT, followed by the iCare, Tono-Pen, and GAT. The differences between the iCare, Tono-Pen, NCT, and GAT were calculated with repeated-measures analysis of variance. The Bland-Altman method was used to assess the agreement between the iCare, Tono-Pen, and NCT versus the GAT. The influences of CCT and CC on IOP measurement were evaluated by correlation analysis using Pearson's correlation coefficient. RESULTS: Mean IOP measurements were significantly higher with the NCT and Tono-Pen than with the GAT in the PKP and control groups. When compared with GAT, iCare showed significantly higher IOP readings in the control group, but the IOP readings did not differ between the iCare and GAT in the PKP group. Poor agreement was noted between the NCT and GAT in both groups. The Tono-Pen showed clinically acceptable agreement with GAT in control eyes and poor agreement in PKP eyes. The agreement between the iCare and GAT appeared to be clinically acceptable in both groups. Correlation analysis of the results from control eyes showed that the IOP measurements with the GAT and NCT were weakly related to CCT and moderately correlated with CC. The iCare IOP readings were weakly correlated with CCT and CC. CONCLUSION: In the PKP group, the NCT and Tono-Pen significantly overestimated IOP, whereas the iCare IOP readings were similar to those obtained using the GAT. Poor agreement was noted between the NCT and GAT as well as between the Tono-Pen and GAT, but the iCare showed clinically acceptable agreement with GAT. In normal corneas, the GAT, NCT, and iCare were affected by CCT and CC. The iCare tonometer was less affected by corneal edema than were the NCT and the Tono-Pen. The iCare appears to be a useful device for IOP measurement in eyes with corneal edema after PKP.

Genome-Wide Polygenic Risk Score for Predicting High Risk Glaucoma Individuals of Han Chinese Ancestry.

Glaucoma is a progressive and irreversible blindness-causing disease. However, the underlying genetic factors and molecular mechanisms remain poorly understood. Previous genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have made tremendous progress on the SNP-based disease association and characterization. However, most of them were conducted for Europeans. Since differential genetic characteristics among ethnic groups were evident in glaucoma, it is worthwhile to complete its genetic landscape from the larger cohorts of Asian individuals. Here, we present a GWAS based on the Taiwan Biobank. Among 1013 glaucoma patients and 36,562 controls, we identified a total of 138 independent glaucoma-associated SNPs at the significance level of p < 1 × 10-5. After clumping genetically linked SNPs (LD clumping), 134 independent SNPs with p < 10-4 were recruited to construct a Polygenic Risk Score (PRS). The model achieved an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) of 0.8387 (95% CI = [0.8269-0.8506]), and those within the top PRS quantile had a 45.48-fold increased risk of glaucoma compared with those within the lowest quantile. The PRS model was validated with an independent cohort that achieved an AUC of 0.7283, thereby showing the effectiveness of our polygenic risk score in predicting individuals in the Han Chinese population with higher glaucoma risks.

Association of Systemic Hypertension With Primary Open-angle Glaucoma: A Population-based Case-Control Study.

PURPOSE: To examine the association between systemic hypertension (HTN) and primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) using Taiwan's nationwide health insurance claims data. DESIGN: A case-control study. METHODS: Data for this case-control study were retrieved from the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database for all 112,929 newly diagnosed patients with POAG from January 2010 through December 2015 (cases), and 449,840 propensity score-matched controls from Taiwan's National Health Insurance system. We performed multiple logistic regression analysis to estimate the odds (ORs) of prior HTN among cases vs controls. RESULTS: Of total 562,300 study patients, 296,975 (52.81%) had HTN prior to the index date, 63,528 (56.49%) among cases and 233,447 (51.90%) among controls (P < .001). POAG was significantly associated with prior HTN (OR 1.31, 95% CI 1.29-1.33) after adjusting for age, sex, monthly income, geographic location and residential urbanization level, hyperlipidemia, diabetes, coronary heart disease, migraine, hypotension, and obstructive sleep apnea syndrome. CONCLUSIONS: POAG is associated with pre-existing HTN, suggesting that internal medicine/family medicine physicians should refer patients with hypertension periodically for regular ophthalmological examinations and ophthalmologists should alert patients with glaucoma to have their blood pressure regularly monitored.

Prevalence of glaucoma in the elderly population in Taiwan: The Shihpai Eye Study.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence, characteristics, and the awareness status of glaucoma in an elderly Chinese population. METHODS: A total of 460 individuals aged ≥72 years were enrolled in this cross-sectional community-based eye disease screening program. Glaucoma was diagnosed according to the diagnostic criteria proposed by the International Society of Geographical and Epidemiological Ophthalmology. Characteristics of subjects with primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) and primary angle-closure glaucoma (PACG) were described and compared between groups using Mann-Whitney U and Fisher's exact tests. RESULTS: Forty subjects were diagnosed with glaucoma, including 17 subjects with POAG, 22 with PACG, and one with secondary glaucoma. The estimated prevalence of glaucoma, POAG, and PACG was 8.7%, 3.7%, and 4.8%, respectively. In total, 71% of the subjects with PACG and 77% of POAG subjects presented with a normal intraocular pressure (IOP) of <19 mmHg. The demographic and ocular characteristics were similar between the two groups; however, subjects with POAG had a longer axial length and smaller vertical disc diameter than those with PACG. Further, 95% of the glaucoma subjects ever visited the eye clinic, but only 32.5% of them were aware of the disease. CONCLUSION: Glaucoma is prevalent in the elderly population in Taiwan, but the diagnostic rate and disease awareness are low. Since most subjects with glaucoma presented with normal IOPs, optic disc evaluation is critical for diagnosing glaucoma in the elderly in Taiwan.

Optic Disc and Macular Vessel Density Measured by Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography in Open-Angle and Angle-Closure Glaucoma.

There is distinct pathogenesis between primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) and primary angle-closure glaucoma (PACG). Although elevated intraocular pressure (IOP) is the major risk factor for glaucoma, non-IOP risk factors such as vascular abnormalities and lower systolic/diastolic perfusion pressure may play a role in the pathogenic process. This study aimed to compare the vessel density (VD) in the optic disc and macula using optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) between POAG and PACG eyes. Thirty-two POAG eyes, 30 PACG eyes, and 39 control eyes were included. All the optic disc VD parameters except the inside disc VD were significantly lower in glaucomatous eyes than in control eyes. Compared with PACG eyes, only the inferior temporal peripapillary VD was significantly lower in POAG eyes. The parafoveal VD was significantly lower in each quadrant in glaucomatous eyes than in control eyes. The central macular and parafoveal VD did not differ between POAG and PACG eyes. In conclusion, the inferior temporal peripapillary VD was significantly reduced in POAG eyes compared with PACG eyes, while PACG eyes showed a more evenly distributed reduction in the peripapillary VD. The distinct patterns of VD change may be associated with the different pathogenesis between POAG and PACG.

Visual impairment and falls in the elderly: the Shihpai Eye Study.

BACKGROUND: To investigate the association between visual impairment and falls in a metropolitan elderly Chinese population. METHODS: A population-based cross-sectional study of eye diseases among subjects 65 years of age and older was conducted in the Shihpai community of Taipei between July 1, 1999 and December 31, 2000. RESULTS: Of the 2,045 subjects invited, 1,361 (66.6%) participated in both the questionnaire and the eye examination. Sixty-two (4.6%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 3.4-5.7%) had experienced 2 or more falls in the previous 12 months. On univariate analysis, best-corrected Snellen visual acuity of the better eye less than 6/12 (odds ratio [OR], 2.47; 95% CI, 1.18-5.18; p<0.001), female gender (OR, 2.52; 95% CI, 1.49-4.26; p<0.001), high waist-to-hip ratio (OR, 1.86; 95% CI, 1.00-3.47; p=0.01), history of diabetes mellitus (OR, 3.88; 95% CI, 2.27-6.62; p<0.001) and cardiovascular disease (OR, 2.26; 95% CI, 1.34-3.80; p=0.04) were significantly related to falls. In the final multiple logistic regression model controlling for other covariates, visual impairment (OR, 1.98; 95% CI, 1.02-4.32; p<0.001), female gender (OR, 2.34; 95% CI, 1.29-4.23; p<0.01), history of diabetes (OR, 3.61; 95% CI, 2.03-6.40; p<0.01) and cardiovascular disease (OR, 1.96; 95% CI, 1.13-3.40; p=0.04) were significantly related to falls. CONCLUSION: Falls were significantly associated with a best-corrected Snellen visual acuity of less than 6/12.

Correctable visual impairment in an elderly Chinese population in Taiwan: the Shihpai Eye Study.

PURPOSE: To investigate the prevalence and risk factors of correctable visual impairment and the quality of life of persons with correctable visual impairment in a metropolitan senior population. METHODS: The study was a community-based, cross-sectional survey of vision and eye diseases among noninstitutionalized subjects aged 65 years and older in the Shihpai community of Taipei, Taiwan. The study consisted of a structured questionnaire followed by a comprehensive standardized ophthalmic examination included presenting and best corrected visual acuity, tonometry, slit lamp biomicroscopy, and direct and indirect ophthalmoscopy. RESULTS: A total of 1361 subjects (response rate, 66.6%) participated in both completion of the questionnaire and ophthalmic examination. The prevalence of correctable visual impairment (presenting visual acuity in the better eye <6/12 that improved to no impairment [>/=6/12] after refractive correction) was 9.55% (95% confidence interval [CI], 7.97%-11.13%). Under multiple logistic regression analysis, older age (>/=75 years; odds ratio [OR], 2.41; 95% CI, 1.56-3.70) and nonemmetropic eyes (myopia; OR, 6.80; 95% CI, 3.77-12.77 vs. hyperopia; OR, 2.13; 95% CI, 1.29-3.51) were significantly related to correctable visual impairment. A higher level of education (OR, 0.52; 95% CI, 0.32-0.83) and wearing distance eyeglasses during the eye examination (OR, 0.23; 95% CI, 0.12-0.43) were protective factors for correctable visual impairment. Subjects with correctable visual impairment scored significantly lower in the physical functioning dimension of the SF-36 questionnaire (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The results demonstrate that approximately 10% of the senior population in the Shihpai district has a correctable visual impairment. Thus, it is important to educate the public about the importance of regular examination and the possibility of improving visual acuity by wearing glasses.