title: Prevalence of age-related macular degeneration in the Republic of Ireland.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) remains the most common cause of visual loss among subjects over 50 years of age in the developed world. The Irish Longitudinal study on Ageing (TILDA) is a population-based study of subjects aged 50 years or older, designed to investigate factors that influence ageing, and has enabled this investigation of the prevalence of AMD in the Republic of Ireland (ROI).
  
  
  METHODS
  Data collected from a nationally representative sample of community-living older adults aged 50 years and over in ROI over the period November 2009 to July 2011. 5035 participants attended the TILDA health centre for assessment. Retinal photographs were obtained in 4859 of these participants. Retinal grading was performed in a masked fashion using a modified version of the International Classification and Grading System for AMD.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Adjusting for lower response rates among older subjects, the estimated overall prevalence of any AMD was 7.2% (95% CI 6.5% to 7.9%) in the population aged 50 years or older. The estimated prevalence of early AMD was 6.6% (95% CI 5.9% to 7.3%), and the estimated prevalence of late AMD was 0.6% (95% CI 0.4% to 0.8%). Statistically significant associations with AMD included increasing age and family history of the condition.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This is the first study to provide prevalence estimates of AMD in ROI and will inform eye care professionals and policymakers involved in the delivery and planning of care for those afflicted with this condition.
authors.affiliation: Macular Pigment Research Group, Department of Chemical and Life Sciences, Waterford Institute of Technology, Waterford, Ireland.
authors.forename: Kwadwo Owusu
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6683-249X
authors.initials: KO
authors.lastname: Akuffo
authors.affiliation: Macular Pigment Research Group, Department of Chemical and Life Sciences, Waterford Institute of Technology, Waterford, Ireland.
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Nolan
authors.affiliation: Macular Pigment Research Group, Department of Chemical and Life Sciences, Waterford Institute of Technology, Waterford, Ireland.
authors.forename: Jim
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Stack
authors.affiliation: Macular Pigment Research Group, Department of Chemical and Life Sciences, Waterford Institute of Technology, Waterford, Ireland.
authors.forename: Rachel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Moran
authors.affiliation: The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing, Department of Medical Gerontology, Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland Centre for Public Health, Queen's University Belfast, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Joanne
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Feeney
authors.affiliation: The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing, Department of Medical Gerontology, Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland.
authors.forename: Rose Anne
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Kenny
authors.affiliation: NIHR Biomedical Research Centre at Moorfields Eye Hospital and UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, London, UK.
authors.forename: Tunde
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Peto
authors.affiliation: The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing, Department of Medical Gerontology, Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland.
authors.forename: Cara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Dooley
authors.affiliation: The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing, Department of Medical Gerontology, Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland.
authors.forename: Aisling M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: O'Halloran
authors.affiliation: The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing, Department of Medical Gerontology, Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland.
authors.forename: Hilary
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Cronin
authors.affiliation: Macular Pigment Research Group, Department of Chemical and Life Sciences, Waterford Institute of Technology, Waterford, Ireland.
authors.forename: Stephen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Beatty
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D057092:Geographic Atrophy / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D007494:Ireland / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010781:Photography; D015995:Prevalence; D012424:Rural Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014505:Urban Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D057135:Wet Macular Degeneration / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*
keywords: Epidemiology; Imaging; Macula; Public health; Vision