title: Age-related macular degeneration in Nepal.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The Age related Macular Degeneration (AMD) is a common cause of visual impairment and blindness worldwide in elderly.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study aimed to explore the demographic characteristics, pattern and risk factors for AMD at a tertiary referral eye centre in Nepal.
  
  
  METHODS
  This is a hospital-based prospective study, conducted at Tilganga Institute of Ophthalmology, Nepal from September 2008 to May 2009. All the consecutive cases of AMD diagnosed at the institute were included.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 141 patients (266 eyes) with AMD recruited for the study. The mean age was 69.5 years (9.1SD) with three fifth males (58.9%). Housewives and occupations like agriculture comprised of 38.3% and 42.5% respectively. Three fourth (75.6%) of the patients were illiterate. The proportion of dry and wet AMD were found in 62.4% and 37.6% respectively. Bilateral involvement was seen in 88.7% of the subjects. Three fourth (71.4%) of the AMD eyes had presenting visual acuity less than 6/18. History of smoking was found in 69.9% of patients. Hypertension was the predominant systemic problem (45.4%) followed by diabetes mellitus (12.8%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  AMD is correlated with ageing in our study as well. Dry AMD is more in age groups 45-64 years and wet AMD at 65 years and older. Bilateral involvement with one eye dry and fellow eye wet AMD is more predominant (44%). Smoking and occupations like agriculture and housewife are significant risk factors for AMD. Likewise male sex, illiteracy and hypertension are other risk factors for AMD in hospital settings.
authors.affiliation: Tilganga Institute of Ophthalmology, Gaushala, Kathnmandu, Nepal. rabathapa@live.com
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Thapa
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Paudyal
authors.forename: M K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Shrestha
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gurung
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ruit
mesh_terms: D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D005451:Fluorescein Angiography; D005654:Fundus Oculi; D006801:Humans; D008268:Macular Degeneration / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009017:Morbidity / Q000639:trends; D009390:Nepal / Q000453:epidemiology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012160:Retina / Q000473:pathology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D017678:Sex Distribution; D041623:Tomography, Optical Coherence