title: Common eye diseases in older adults of southern Germany: results from the KORA-Age study.
abstract: a population-based study in the region of Augsburg (Germany, KORA) was used to identify the prevalence of eye diseases and their risk factors in a sample of aged individuals.
  
  
  
  data originated from the KORA-Age study collected in 2012 and 822 participants (49.6% women, 50.4% men, aged 68-96 years) were asked standardised questions about eye diseases. Positive answers were validated and specified by treating ophthalmologists. Additional information came from laboratory data. Polymorphic markers were tested for candidate genes.
  
  
  
  we received validations and specifications for 339 participants. The most frequent eye diseases were cataracts (299 cases, 36%), dry eyes (120 cases, 15%), glaucoma (72 cases, 9%) and age-related macular degeneration (AMD) (68 cases, 8%). Almost all participants suffering from glaucoma or from AMD also had cataracts. Cataract surgery was associated with diabetes (in men; OR = 2.24; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.11-4.53; P = 0.025) and smoking (in women; OR = 6.77; CI 1.62-28.35; P = 0.009). In men, treatments in airway diseases was associated with cataracts (glucocorticoids: OR = 5.29, CI 1.20-23.37; P = 0.028; sympathomimetics: OR = 4.57, CI 1.39-15.00; P = 0.012). Polymorphisms in two genes were associated with AMD (ARMS2: OR = 2.28, CI 1.48-3.51; P = 0.005; CFH: OR = 2.03, CI 1.35-3.06; P = 0.010).
  
  
  
  combinations of eye diseases were frequent at old age. The importance of classical risk factors like diabetes, hypertension and airway diseases decreased either due to a survivor bias leaving healthier survivors in the older age group, or due to an increased influence of other up to now unknown risk factors.
authors.affiliation: Helmholtz Zentrum München, Deutsches Forschungszentrum für Umwelt und Gesundheit, Institute of Health Economics and Health Care Management, Neuherberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Reitmeir
authors.affiliation: Helmholtz Zentrum München, Deutsches Forschungszentrum für Umwelt und Gesundheit, Institute of Epidemiology II, Neuherberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Birgit
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Linkohr
authors.affiliation: Helmholtz Zentrum München, Deutsches Forschungszentrum für Umwelt und Gesundheit, Institute of Epidemiology II, Neuherberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Margit
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Heier
authors.affiliation: Helmholtz Zentrum München, Deutsches Forschungszentrum für Umwelt und Gesundheit, Institute of Epidemiology II, Neuherberg, Germany.|Helmholtz Zentrum München, Deutsches Forschungszentrum für Umwelt und Gesundheit, Research Unit Molecular Epidemiology, Neuherberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Sophie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Molnos
authors.affiliation: Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, Institute for Medical Information Processing, Biometry and Epidemiology, Munich, Germany.|Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, German Center for Vertigo and Balance Disorders, Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: Ralf
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Strobl
authors.affiliation: Helmholtz Zentrum München, Deutsches Forschungszentrum für Umwelt und Gesundheit, Institute of Epidemiology I, Neuherberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Holger
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Schulz
authors.affiliation: Helmholtz Zentrum München, Deutsches Forschungszentrum für Umwelt und Gesundheit, Institute of Epidemiology II, Neuherberg, Germany.|Helmholtz Zentrum München, Deutsches Forschungszentrum für Umwelt und Gesundheit, Research Unit Molecular Epidemiology, Neuherberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Michaela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Breier
authors.affiliation: Helmholtz Zentrum München, Deutsches Forschungszentrum für Umwelt und Gesundheit, Institute of Developmental Genetics, Neuherberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Theresa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Faus
authors.affiliation: Helmholtz Zentrum München, Deutsches Forschungszentrum für Umwelt und Gesundheit, Institute of Epidemiology II, Neuherberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Dorothea M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Küster
authors.affiliation: Helmholtz Zentrum München, Deutsches Forschungszentrum für Umwelt und Gesundheit, Institute of Health Economics and Health Care Management, Neuherberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wulff
authors.affiliation: Helmholtz Zentrum München, Deutsches Forschungszentrum für Umwelt und Gesundheit, Institute of Epidemiology II, Neuherberg, Germany.|Helmholtz Zentrum München, Deutsches Forschungszentrum für Umwelt und Gesundheit, Research Unit Molecular Epidemiology, Neuherberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Harald
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Grallert
authors.affiliation: Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, Institute for Medical Information Processing, Biometry and Epidemiology, Munich, Germany.|Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, German Center for Vertigo and Balance Disorders, Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Grill
authors.affiliation: Helmholtz Zentrum München, Deutsches Forschungszentrum für Umwelt und Gesundheit, Institute of Epidemiology II, Neuherberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Annette
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Peters
authors.affiliation: Helmholtz Zentrum München, Deutsches Forschungszentrum für Umwelt und Gesundheit, Institute of Developmental Genetics, Neuherberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Jochen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Graw
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000453:epidemiology; D015897:Comorbidity; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003941:Diagnostic Techniques, Ophthalmological; D005128:Eye Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016017:Odds Ratio; D010641:Phenotype; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; D015995:Prevalence; D065840:Protective Factors; D012307:Risk Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000453:epidemiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: AMD; ageing; cataract; glaucoma; older people; population study