title: 5-year incidence of age-related maculopathy in the Reykjavik Eye Study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine the age- and gender-specific 5-year incidence of age-related maculopathy (ARM) and age-related macular degeneration (AMD) in citizens of Reykjavik.
  
  
  METHODS
  Population-based, prospective cohort study.
  
  
  METHODS
  The cohort was a population-based random sample of citizens 50 years and older. Of 1379 eligible subjects, 1045 had a baseline examination in 1996; 846 of the 958 survivors (88.2%) had a 5-year follow-up examination in 2001.
  
  
  METHODS
  The incidence of various characteristics of drusen and pigmentary changes that are typical of ARM were determined using the international classification and grading system for ARM and AMD.
  
  
  METHODS
  Early ARM and AMD were assessed by masked grading of stereo fundus photographs.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Hypopigmentation developed at 5 years in 10.7% of people 50 to 59 years of age (95% confidence interval [CI], 6.9-14.4) and in 25.7% those 70 to 79 years of age (95% CI, 18.4-33.0) at baseline. Age-related macular degeneration developed in no one who was 50 to 59 years of age at baseline. Geographic atrophy (GA) developed in 4.6% (95% CI, 1.2-7.9) and exudative AMD in none of those who were 70 years and older at baseline.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Geographic atrophy is the predominant type of AMD in Iceland, and the ratio of GA to neovascular AMD is higher than in racially similar populations.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, University of Iceland, Reykjavik, Iceland. fridbert@landspitali.is <fridbert@landspitali.is>
authors.forename: Fridbert
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Jonasson
authors.forename: Arsaell
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Arnarsson
authors.forename: Tunde
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Peto
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sasaki
authors.forename: Kazuyuki
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sasaki
authors.forename: Alan C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Bird
mesh_terms: D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007055:Iceland / Q000453:epidemiology; D015994:Incidence; D008268:Macular Degeneration / Q000145:classification / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011159:Population Surveillance; D011446:Prospective Studies; D017678:Sex Distribution