Is pseudophakia a risk factor for neovascular age-related macular degeneration?
OBJECTIVE
To examine the possible association between pseudophakia and neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD).


METHODS
Reports of all patients undergoing fluorescein angiography in the authors' department over a 6-year period were retrospectively reviewed. Four hundred ninety-nine patients with recent onset of neovascular AMD in one eye and early age-related maculopathy (ARM) in the fellow eye were included in the study. Lens status (phakic or pseudophakic) in both eyes at the time of onset of neovascular AMD and the time between cataract surgeries (if performed) and onset of neovascular AMD were determined.


RESULTS
There was no significant difference in lens status between eyes with neovascular AMD and fellow eyes with early ARM (115/499 [23.0%] vs. 112/499 [22.4%] pseudophakic; P = 0.88, odds ratio 1.035, 95% CI 0.770-1.391). Subgroup analysis revealed no difference between the groups with large drusen, small drusen, or pigmentary changes only (respectively, 20.3% vs. 19.6% pseudophakic, P = 0.92; 20.5% vs. 23.3% pseudophakic, P = 0.84; 33.3% vs. 31.7% pseudophakic, P = 1.0). Pseudophakic eyes with neovascular AMD had not been pseudophakic for a significantly longer period at the time of onset of neovascular AMD than their pseudophakic fellow eyes at the same time point (225.9 +/- 170.4 vs. 209.9 +/- 158.2 weeks, P = 0.27).


CONCLUSIONS
The results do not support the hypothesis that pseudophakia is a major risk factor for the development of neovascular AMD.
Sutter
Florian K P
FK
Department of Ophthalmology, University Hospital, CH-8049 Zurich, Switzerland. florian.sutter@usz.ch
Menghini
Moreno
M
Barthelmes
Daniel
D
Fleischhauer
Johannes C
JC
Kurz-Levin
Malaika M
MM
Bosch
Martina M
MM
Helbig
Horst
H
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D020256:Choroidal Neovascularization / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D005451:Fluorescein Angiography; D006801:Humans; D008268:Macular Degeneration / Q000209:etiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D019591:Pseudophakia / Q000150:complications*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors