Singapore Chinese Eye Study Research Articles

Deep learning-based normative database of anterior chamber dimensions for angle closure assessment: the Singapore Chinese Eye Study.

The lack of context for anterior segment optical coherence tomography (ASOCT) measurements impedes its clinical utility. We established the normative distribution of anterior chamber depth (ACD), area (ACA) and width (ACW) and lens vault (LV), and applied percentile cut-offs to detect primary angle closure disease (PACD; ≥180° posterior trabecular meshwork occluded). We included subjects from the Singapore Chinese Eye Study with ASOCT scans. Eyes with ocular surgery or laser procedures, and ocular trauma were excluded. A deep-learning algorithm was used to obtain Visante ASOCT (Carl Zeiss Meditec, USA) measurements. Normative distribution was established using 80% of eyes with open angles. Multivariable logistic regression was performed on 80% open and 80% angle closure eyes. Diagnostic performance was evaluated using 20% open and 20% angle closure eyes. We included 2157 eyes (1853 open angles; 304 angle closure) for analysis. ACD, ACA and ACW decreased with age and were smaller in females, and vice versa for LV (all p<0.022). ACD 20th percentile and LV 85th percentile had a balanced accuracy of 84.4% and 84.2% in detecting PACD, respectively. When combined, ACD 20th and LV 85th percentile had 88.68% sensitivity and 88.85% specificity in detecting PACD as compared with a multivariable regression model (ACA, angle opening distance, LV, iris area) with 88.33% sensitivity and 83.75% specificity. Anterior chamber parameters varied with age and gender. The ACD 20th and LV 85th percentile values may be used in silos or in combination to detect PACD in the absence of more sophisticated classification algorithms.

Deep Learning-based Quantification of Anterior Segment OCT Parameters

To develop and validate a deep learning algorithm that could automate the annotation of scleral spur (SS) and segmentation of anterior chamber (AC) structures for measurements of AC, iris, and angle width parameters in anterior segment OCT (ASOCT) scans. Cross-sectional study. Data from 2 population-based studies (i.e., the Singapore Chinese Eye Study and Singapore Malay Eye Study) and 1 clinical study on angle-closure disease were included in algorithm development. A separate clinical study on angle-closure disease was used for external validation. Image contrast of ASOCT scans were first enhanced with CycleGAN. We utilized a heat map regression approach with coarse-to-fine framework for SS annotation. Then, an ensemble network of U-Net, full resolution residual network, and full resolution U-Net was used for structure segmentation. Measurements obtained from predicted SSs and structure segmentation were measured and compared with measurements obtained from manual SS annotation and structure segmentation (i.e., ground truth). We measured Euclidean distance and intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) to evaluate SS annotation and Dice similarity coefficient for structure segmentation. The ICC, Bland-Altman plot, and repeatability coefficient were used to evaluate agreement and precision of measurements. For SS annotation, our algorithm achieved a Euclidean distance of 124.7 μm, ICC ≥ 0.95, and a 3.3% error rate. For structure segmentation, we obtained Dice similarity coefficient ≥ 0.91 for cornea, iris, and AC segmentation. For angle width measurements, ≥ 95% of data points were within the 95% limits-of-agreement in Bland-Altman plot with insignificant systematic bias (all P > 0.12). The ICC ranged from 0.71-0.87 for angle width measurements, 0.54 for IT750, 0.83-0.85 for other iris measurements, and 0.89-0.99 for AC measurements. Using the same SS coordinates from a human expert, measurements obtained from our algorithm were generally less variable than measurements obtained from a semiautomated angle assessment program. We developed a deep learning algorithm that could automate SS annotation and structure segmentation in ASOCT scans like human experts, in both open-angle and angle-closure eyes. This algorithm reduces the time needed and subjectivity in obtaining ASOCT measurements. The author(s) have no proprietary or commercial interest in any materials discussed in this article.

Impact of incident age-related macular degeneration and associated vision loss on vision-related quality of life

BackgroundWe examined the associations between the 6-year incidence of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and vision-related quality of life (VRQoL), and the contribution of presenting visual acuity (VA), in an Asian...

Albuminuria and Primary Open-Angle Glaucoma: the Singapore Chinese Eye Study (SCES)

AimsTo determine the association between albuminuria and primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG).MethodsParticipants of the Singapore Chinese Eye study were recruited and underwent standardised ocular and systemic examinations. Albuminuria was determined using...

Systemic hypertension associated retinal microvascular changes can be detected with optical coherence tomography angiography

A major complication of hypertension is microvascular damage and capillary rarefaction is a known complication of hypertensive end-organ damage which confers a higher risk of systemic disease such as stroke and cardiovascular events. Our aim was to study the effect of hypertension on the retinal microvasculature using non-invasive optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA). We performed a case-control study of 94 eyes of 94 participants with systemic hypertension and 46 normal control eyes from the Singapore Chinese Eye Study using a standardized protocol to collect data on past medical history of hypertension, including the number and type of hypertensive medications and assessed mean arterial pressure. Retinal vascular parameters were measured in all eyes using OCTA. In the multivariate analysis adjusting for confounders, compared to controls, eyes of hypertensive patients showed a decrease in the macular vessel density at the level of the superficial [OR 0.02; 95% CI, 0 to 0.64; P 0.027] and deep venous plexuses [OR 0.03; 95% CI, 0 to 0.41; P 0.009] and an increase in the deep foveal avascular zone. This shows that hypertension is associated with reduced retinal vessel density and an increased foveal avascular zone, especially in the deep venous plexus, as seen on OCTA and there is a potential role in using OCTA as a clinical tool to monitor hypertensive damage and identifying at risk patients

Prevalence and Pattern of Geographic Atrophy in Asia: The Asian Eye Epidemiology Consortium

Although there have been many population-based studies of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), only limited information is available in Asia on the epidemiology of geographic atrophy (GA). We aimed to determine the prevalence and patterns of GA through an analysis of multiple studies conducted within the Asian Eye Epidemiology Consortium (AEEC). Cross-sectional meta-analyses. A total of 97 213 individuals aged 40 years and older. Data from 22 population-based studies from countries belonging to the AEEC were included. In all studies, AMD was defined on the basis of standardized grading systems. Geographic atrophy was defined as an area of pallor in the fundus with visibility of the underlying choroidal blood vessels and sharply defined borders. Random-effects meta-analysis was performed to estimate overall and age-, gender-, and region-specific pooled prevalence of GA. Prevalence of GA per 1000 persons. The mean age was 60.8 ± 10.0 years, and 42 673 (43.9%) were male. Overall, a total of 223 individuals (0.2%) had GA. The pooled overall prevalence of GA was 1.57 per 1000 persons (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.04-2.10), which was 3 times less than that of neovascular AMD of 5.20 per 1000 persons (95% CI, 3.97-6.43). Compared with those aged 50 to 59 years, the prevalence of GA increased from 0.34 per 1000 persons (95% CI, 0.07-0.62) to 2.90 per 1000 persons (95% CI, 1.55-4.25) in those aged ≥70 years. The GA prevalence per 1000 persons was similar between urban (2.22; 95% CI, 1.22-3.23) and rural residents (1.33; 95% CI, 0.70-1.96). Geographic atrophy was more prevalent in South Asia (based on studies from India and Nepal, 3.82 per 1000 persons; 95% CI, 1.72-5.93) compared with East Asia (based on studies from China, Korea, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Japan, and the Singapore Chinese Eye Study, 0.76 per 1000 persons; 95% CI, 0.31-1.22, P= 0.005). Geographic atrophy is uncommon in Asian populations compared with those of European ancestry. Even within Asia, geographic differences in GA prevalence were seen. The findings of this meta-analysis suggest that better dissection of risk factors in the Asian population for GA may provide insights into the biological pathways that drive these late-stage manifestations, thus suggesting better targets for prevention.

Association Between Visual Impairment and Decline in Cognitive Function in a Multiethnic Asian Population

With the rapidly aging population, the burden of visual impairment (VI) and cognitive decline is expected to increase. Previous cross-sectional studies suggest an association between these 2 health outcomes. However, few longitudinal reports have examined this association, and to our knowledge, no studies have been performed in Asian populations. Further investigation on this association may help to better identify individuals at risk of cognitive decline. To examine the longitudinal association between VI and decline in cognitive function in a multiethnic Asian population. In this longitudinal, population-based, prospective cohort study, Chinese, Indian, and Malay adults 60 years or older at baseline were recruited from the Singapore Epidemiology of Eye Diseases (SEED) study. At baseline, participants from the SEED study were recruited under 3 studies: the Singapore Malay Eye Study (SiMES; 2004-2006), the Singapore Indian Eye Study (SINDI; 2007-2009), and the Singapore Chinese Eye Study (SCES; 2009-2011). Eligible participants were reexamined after 6 years (2011-2013 for SiMES, 2013-2015 for SINDI, and 2015-2017 for SCES). Data analysis was performed from November 1 to 24, 2019. Visual impariment was defined as presenting visual acuity worse than 20/40 based on the better-seeing eye. Cognitive function was assessed using a locally validated Abbreviated Mental Test (AMT). The association between baseline VI and change in AMT score was determined using the multivariable linear regression model adjusting for baseline age; sex; race/ethnicity; presence of diabetes, hyperlipidemia, hypertension, and chronic kidney disease; history of cardiovascular disease; smoking status; alcohol intake; body mass index; educational status; and AMT score. A total of 2478 individuals (1256 [50.7%] male; 1073 Chinese, 768 Indian, and 637 Malay adults) with mean (SD) age of 67.6 (5.6) years were evaluated, of whom 489 (19.7%) had reduction in AMT scores over 6 years. Baseline VI was associated with a decrease in AMT score over 6 years (β = -0.27; 95% CI, -0.37 to -0.17; P < .001). When change in vision over 6 years was evaluated, unchanged or deteriorated VI was associated with a decrease in AMT score over 6 years (β = -0.29; 95% CI, -0.40 to -0.18; P < .001). Among individuals with baseline VI and a substantial decrease in AMT score of 3 units or more over 6 years, the leading causes of VI were undercorrected refractive error (14 [45.2%]) and cataract (11 [35.5%]). In this study, poor vision was independently associated with a decline in cognitive function. Causes of visual loss in these cases were mostly preventable, further suggesting that preserving good vision may be an important interventional strategy for mitigating cognitive decline.

Using Uniocular Visual Acuity Substantially Underestimates the Impact of Visual Impairment on Quality of Life Compared with Binocular Visual Acuity

Although the impact of vision-related quality of life (VRQoL) is assessed optimally using binocular visual acuity (VA), uniocular VA remains the preferred measurement method in clinic-based and epidemiologic studies. We compared the impact of distance presenting binocular VA and uniocular VA in the better-seeing (better-eye VA) and worse-seeing (worse-eye VA) eye on VRQoL. The Singapore Chinese Eye Study 2 (2015-2017), a population-based, cross-sectional study. One thousand eight hundred twenty-two individuals (mean age, 66.2 years [standard deviation, 8.9 years]; 51.1% women) were included. Presenting uniocular VA and binocular VA were assessed using a logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution number chart at a distance of 4 m under standard lighting by trained and certified study optometrists. Multiple linear regression models were constructed to determine the independent associations between binocular VA, better-eye VA, and worse-eye VA and the outcome (VRQoL), adjusted for potential confounders, including age, gender, socioeconomic status, and presence of comorbidities. In addition, a cluster sandwich estimator was used to determine if any differences in β estimates between the associations were statistically significant. Vision-related quality of life was measured using Rasch-transformed scores from the emotional, mobility, and reading domains of the Impact of Visual Impairment (IVI) questionnaire. Although every 2-line increase (worsening) in binocular VA and uniocular VA was associated independently with decrements in emotional, mobility, and reading IVI scores (P < 0.05 for all), the reductions in all VRQoL domains were substantially lower (P < 0.1) when using either the better-eye VA (compared with binocular VA β-estimates, -27.8%, -19.4%, and -24.2% difference in emotional, mobility, and reading IVI scores, respectively) or worse-eye VA (compared with binocular VA β estimates, -38.9%, -58.1%, and -57.5% reduction in emotional, mobility, and reading IVI scores, respectively) to quantify vision loss. Uniocular VA seems to underestimate the impact of vision loss on VRQoL indices compared with binocular VA. Our data suggest that researchers, clinicians, and policy planners should consider using binocular instead of uniocular measures of VA in patient-reported outcome evaluation of vision loss because it may better reflect its impact on VRQoL.

Singapore Chinese Eye Study: key findings from baseline examination and the rationale, methodology of the 6-year follow-up series

Background/aimsIn order to address the eye care needs of the increasing numbers of elderly Chinese globally, there is a need for comprehensive understanding on the longitudinal trends of age-related eye...

The Effect of Gender on Visual Field Sensitivity: The Singapore Chinese Eye Study

ABSTRACTPurpose: Visual field (VF) sensitivity is known to be age-dependent, but there is a paucity of evidence on whether it is gender-dependent. We therefore investigated the effect of gender on VF sensitivity.Methods: An observational study involving 491 adults from the population-based Singapore Chinese Eye Study (SCES). Study participants underwent a comprehensive and standardised ocular examination and VF assessment on the Humphrey Field Analyzer II (Carl Zeiss Meditec, Inc., Dublin, CA, USA). The effect of gender on the mean deviation (MD) and pattern standard deviation (PSD) was analysed with linear regression models.Results: The mean age was 52.9 ± 5.9 years, and 229 (46.6%) participants were women. A total of 800 reliable VFs from 655 healthy eyes without visual impairment, glaucoma and significant cataract were included. The mean (± standard deviation) MD was −0.45 ± 1.01 dB in men, and −0.84 ± 1.20 dB in women. The MD [95% confidence interval] was 0.28 [−0.44 to −0.12] dB lower in females compared to males (P = 0.001) after adjusting for reliability indices, degree of lens opacity, and other potential confounders. The PSD was not significantly different between the genders.Conclusions: In the SCES, the population-average of the central VF sensitivity was significantly lower in women compared to men by a small amount (0.28 dB). This effect was observed in healthy eyes, and was not explained by multiple potential confounders. Hence, this likely represents a physiological gender-based difference that is unaccounted for in standard automated perimetry. Further studies in other populations would be needed to corroborate our findings.

Beyond vision loss: the independent impact of diabetic retinopathy on vision-related quality of life in a Chinese Singaporean population

Background/aimsTo assess the independent impact of diabetic retinopathy (DR) on three domains of vision-related quality of life (VRQoL) in a Chinese Singapore population.MethodsThe Singapore Chinese Eye Study (n=3353; 2009–2011) was...

Trends of Visual Impairment and Blindness in the Singapore Chinese Population over a Decade

We evaluated the prevalence of visual impairment (VI) and blindness among Chinese adults in the Singapore Chinese Eye Study (SCES, 2009–2011), and compared the trends with the Tanjong Pagar Survey, Singapore (TPS), conducted a decade earlier. The SCES comprised of 3,353 Chinese adults aged ≥40 years (response rate, 72.8%). Participants underwent standardized examinations, including measurements of presenting, and best-corrected visual acuity (VA). Bilateral VI (VA < 20/40 to ≥20/200) and blindness (VA < 20/200) were defined based on the United States definition (better-seeing eye). Age-standardized prevalence was calculated using the 2010 Singapore Chinese Population Census. Primary causes and factors associated with VI and blindness were evaluated. In SCES, the age-standardized prevalence of presenting bilateral VI and blindness were 17.7% and 0.6%, respectively; the age-standardised prevalence of best-corrected bilateral VI and blindness were 3.4% and 0.2%, respectively. The previous TPS reported similar rates of best-corrected bilateral VI (3.8%) and blindness (0.3%). In SCES, cataract remains the main cause for both best-corrected bilateral VI (76.0%) and blindness (50.0%). Older age, female, lower income, lower educational level, and smaller housing type were associated with presenting bilateral VI or blindness (all P ≤ 0.025). These findings will be useful for the planning of eye care services and resource allocation.

Manejo anestésico en el paciente sometido a MEI en neurocirugía de extracción de tumor de columna

To investigate the difference in corneal hysteresis (CH) and corneal resistance factor (CRF) between Indian and Chinese populations.Population-based cross-sectional study.Three hundred eighty-two Singaporean Indian persons and 764 Singaporean Chinese 50 years of age or older were included from the Singapore Indian Eye Study and Singapore Chinese Eye Study, respectively.Participants underwent standardized systemic and ocular examinations and interviewer-administered questionnaires for risk factor assessment. The CH and CRF were measured with the Ocular Response Analyzer (Reichert Ophthalmic Instruments, Buffalo, NY). Information on genetic ancestry was derived using principal component analysis. Linear regression models were used to investigate the association of CH and CRF with potential risk factors.Corneal hysteresis and CRF.After excluding participants with a history of intraocular surgery, a diagnosis of glaucoma suspect or glaucoma, refractive surgery, or presence of corneal abnormalities, CH and CRF readings were available for 382 Indian persons. For each Indian participant, 2 Chinese participants were selected and matched for age and gender (n = 764). There were no differences in the clinical measurements of CH (10.6±1.6 mmHg; P = 0.670) or CRF (10.3±1.7 mmHg; P = 0.103) between the ethnic groups. However, after adjusting for covariates, Indian persons had, on average, 0.18-mmHg higher CH levels than in Chinese (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.02–0.38; P = 0.031). Consistently, CH level was correlated significantly with genetic ancestry in the Southeast Asian population. Corneal resistance factor level was not associated independently with self-reported ethnicity (95% CI, −0.10 to 0.29; P = 0.335).Chinese have lower CH than Indian persons, and this disparity may reflect biomechanical differences of the cornea.

Associations of Peripapillary Atrophy and Fundus Tessellation with Diabetic Retinopathy

There is a limited understanding of ocular risk factors for diabetic retinopathy (DR). Our aim therefore was to determine the relationship of 2 retinal signs related to axial myopia (peripapillary atrophy [PPA] and fundus tessellation) with DR. Cross-sectional study. Of 3353 subjects (72.8% response rate) who participated in the population-based Singapore Chinese Eye Study, 592 participants had diabetes. Of these, 1010 eyes from 530 participants were included in our analyses after excluding participants without gradable retinal photographs or missing key variables. DR, PPA-beta (β), and fundus tessellation were graded from retinal photographs. The associations between PPA-β or fundus tessellation with DR were analyzed using logistic regression models with generalized estimating equations. Diabetic retinopathy. Among the 530 participants, the mean (standard deviation) age was 62.8 (9.2) years, and 288 (54.3%) were male. PPA-β and fundus tessellation were both associated with longer axial length (AL). In multivariable analyses adjusting for potential confounders including AL, eyes with PPA-β or fundus tessellation were less likely to have any DR, with odds ratio (95% confidence interval) 0.58 (0.41-0.83) and 0.46 (0.25-0.87), respectively. These associations with DR were consistent in models adjusting for refractive status, and in a subanalysis that excluded eyes with high AL (>24.5 mm). Eyes with PPA-β or fundus tessellation were less likely to have DR, independent of diabetes risk factors, AL, or refractive status. The presence of these 2 ophthalmic features may indicate lower risk of DR.

The Effect of Testing Reliability on Visual Field Sensitivity in Normal Eyes: The Singapore Chinese Eye Study

To quantitatively determine how the reliability indices in standard automated perimetry (SAP) affect the global indices of visual field (VF) results in nonglaucomatous eyes. Observational, cross-sectional study. A total of 830 adults aged 40 to 80 years, without visual impairment, glaucoma, significant cataract, and major eye diseases, were selected from the population-based Singapore Chinese Eye Study (SCES). Study participants underwent a comprehensive and standardized ocular examination and VF assessment using a Humphrey Field Analyzer II (Carl Zeiss Meditec, Inc., Dublin, CA). The effects of the test reliability, as indicated by the false-negative (FN), false-positive (FP), and fixation loss (FL) rates, on global indices, as indicated by the mean deviation (MD) and pattern standard deviation (PSD), were analyzed with multivariable regression models. The MD and PSD. A total of 1828 VF results from 1235 normal eyes of 830 study subjects were included in the analyses. The multivariable regression analyses adjusted for age, gender, best-corrected visual acuity, and test duration showed that at lower frequencies of false answers (<15%), FNs decreased the MD (β [change in decibels {dB} per 5% increment in false answers]=-0.71 dB; P < 0.001), whereas FPs increased the MD (β= 0.65 dB; P< 0.001). At higher frequencies (≥15%), the false answers influenced the MD to a greater extent, where the β for the associations with FN and FP rates was-1.15 and 1.26 dB, respectively (both P < 0.001). We also found that when FN rate was <15%, higher FN rate increased the PSD (β= 0.51 dB; P < 0.001), and the effect was slightly larger when FN rate was ≥15% (β= 0.71 dB; P < 0.001). The effect of FPs on PSD was observed only when FP rate was <15% (β=-0.22 dB; P < 0.001). The FL had no associations with the MD, and had minimal effects on the PSD. We quantified the effect of unreliable responses on the MD and PSD in SAP. Our study mayallow clinicians to estimate how VF results are affected by varying degrees of unreliability, instead of relying on cutoff values for reliability indices.

Prevalence, subtypes, severity and determinants of ocular trauma: The Singapore Chinese Eye Study

PurposeTo describe the prevalence, subtypes, severity and determinants of ocular trauma (OT) in a population-based study in Singapore.MethodsWe included 3353 Chinese adults aged ≥40 years from the Singapore Chinese Eye...

Urinary Isoprostane Levels and Age-Related Macular Degeneration.

Oxidative stress, characterized by an excessive production of reactive oxygen intermediates has been suggested to play a role in the pathogenesis of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). We examined the association of urinary F2-isoprostanes (F2-IsoPs), a marker of lipid peroxidation and the most reliable marker of oxidative damage with AMD. We included 238 adults with AMD and 390 age- and sex-matched controls without AMD who participated in a population-based cross-sectional study in Singapore (Singapore Chinese Eye Study, 2009-2011). AMD was graded from retinal photographs using the Wisconsin Age-Related Maculopathy Grading System. Urinary-free F2-IsoPs (pmol/mmol of creatinine) were measured by gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The association between F2-IsoPs and AMD was examined using unconditional logistic regression models adjusted for potential confounders including smoking, body mass index (BMI), blood pressure, total and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and history of cardiovascular disease. Higher levels of F2-IsoPs were associated with AMD independent of potential confounders. Compared to quartile 1 (Q1) of F2-IsoPs, the multivariable odds ratio (95% confidence interval) of AMD in quartiles 2, 3, and 4 were 2.05 (1.26-3.32), 1.80 (1.10-2.94), and 1.76 (1.06-2.94), respectively. In subgroup analyses comparing Q4 to Q1, this association was stronger in women, those with BMI less than 25 kg/m2 and those with hypertension, but no significant interaction was found (P interaction > 0.1 for each strata). Higher levels of urinary F2-IsoPs levels were associated with AMD independent of potential confounders in Chinese adults.

Comparison of Corneal Biomechanical Properties between Indian and Chinese Adults

To investigate the difference in corneal hysteresis (CH) and corneal resistance factor (CRF) between Indian and Chinese populations. Population-based cross-sectional study. Three hundred eighty-two Singaporean Indian persons and 764 Singaporean Chinese 50 years of age or older were included from the Singapore Indian Eye Study and Singapore Chinese Eye Study, respectively. Participants underwent standardized systemic and ocular examinations and interviewer-administered questionnaires for risk factor assessment. The CH and CRF were measured with the Ocular Response Analyzer (Reichert Ophthalmic Instruments, Buffalo, NY). Information on genetic ancestry was derived using principal component analysis. Linear regression models were used to investigate the association of CH and CRF with potential risk factors. Corneal hysteresis and CRF. After excluding participants with a history of intraocular surgery, a diagnosis of glaucoma suspect or glaucoma, refractive surgery, or presence of corneal abnormalities, CH and CRF readings were available for 382 Indian persons. For each Indian participant, 2 Chinese participants were selected and matched for age and gender (n= 764). There were no differences in the clinical measurements of CH (10.6±1.6 mmHg; P= 0.670) or CRF (10.3±1.7 mmHg; P= 0.103) between the ethnic groups. However, after adjusting for covariates, Indian persons had, on average, 0.18-mmHg higher CH levels than in Chinese (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.02-0.38; P= 0.031). Consistently, CH level was correlated significantly with genetic ancestry in the Southeast Asian population. Corneal resistance factor level was not associated independently with self-reported ethnicity (95% CI,-0.10 to 0.29; P= 0.335). Chinese have lower CH than Indian persons, and this disparity may reflect biomechanical differences of the cornea.

Association of Vision Impairment and Major Eye Diseases With Mobility and Independence in a Chinese Population.

Mobility limitations arising from vision impairment (VI) can result in loss of independence and reduced quality of life. However, few data are available on the association between VI and mobility limitations at a population-based level, particularly in Asian populations. To assess the association of VI and major eye diseases with mobility and independence (M&I) in a Chinese population. The Singapore Chinese Eye Study (February 9, 2009, to December 19, 2011) was a population-based, cross-sectional study of 3353 persons aged 40 to 80 years of Chinese ethnicity. Patients underwent visual acuity testing, and sociodemographic and medical data were collected from standardized questionnaires. Data analysis for this study was performed October 2015 to April 2016. Presenting bilateral visual acuity (categorized as none, moderate, or severe VI) and major eye diseases (cataract, uncorrected refractive error, glaucoma, age-related macular degeneration, and diabetic retinopathy). Patients answered questions on the M&I scale of the Impact of Vision Impairment questionnaire, validated using Rasch analysis. The composite M&I score (score range, -4.47 to 7.48 logits; higher scores indicate better M&I) and 11 individual item scores were the main outcomes. The association between bilateral VI and eye conditions and the composite and individual M&I item scores was assessed using linear regression models. Of the 3353 patients, the mean (SD) age was 59.7 (9.9) years, and 1662 (49.6%) were male. The mean (SD) presenting visual acuity values in the better and worse eyes were 0.20 (0.21) and 0.39 (0.42) logMAR, respectively. A total of 1432 patients (42.7%) and 114 patients (3.4%) had moderate and severe bilateral VI, respectively. Mobility and independence systematically worsened as the severity of bilateral VI increased. There was a clinically meaningful reduction in M&I (20%; β, -1.44; 95% CI, -1.75 to -1.13) and all 11 M&I tasks in patients with severe bilateral VI compared with no VI. Glaucoma (13%; β, -0.94; 95% CI, -1.82 to -0.06) and cataract (6%; β, -0.43; 95% CI, -0.65 to -0.22) were independently associated with worse M&I, with patients with glaucoma particularly concerned about avoiding falling or tripping. Bilateral VI in this population was associated with substantial decrements in M&I, with glaucoma and cataract independently associated with worse M&I. Although these associations do not prove that preventing bilateral VI will improve M&I in this population, the results suggest that such interventions could be of tremendous value from this perspective.

The impact of typical neovascular age-related macular degeneration and polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy on vision-related quality of life in Asian patients

AimsTo determine the impact of neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD) on vision-related quality of life (VRQoL) in an Asian population.MethodsIn this cross-sectional study, 162 subjects with nAMD from the Asian...