Prevalence of age related maculopathy in a representative Japanese population: the Hisayama study

Abstract

AIM To determine the prevalence of age related maculopathy (ARM) in a representative older Japanese population. METHODS 1486 residents of Hisayama town, Fukuoka, Japan, aged 50 years or older were examined and the presence of ARM was determined by grading from fundus examination by indirect ophthalmoscope, slit lamp, and colour fundus photographs. RESULTS The prevalence rate of drusen, which occurred with comparable frequency in men and women, was 9.6%. The frequency of drusen increased with age (p v 0.34%, p CONCLUSIONS Early and late stage ARM is less common among Japanese people than among white people in Western countries, while late stage ARM is more common among Japanese than among black people.