Cataract and age-related maculopathy: the Blue Mountains Eye Study

PURPOSE. To assess the relationship between different types of cataract or past cataract surgery and late or early age-related maculopathy (ARM) in an older population. METHODS. A population-based survey examined 3,654 people aged =49 years, 82% of permanent residents of an area near Sydney, Australia. Participants had a detailed eye examination, including standardised dilated lens and stereo macular photographs. Presence of cataract and ARM was diagnosed from masked photographic grading using the Wisconsin Cataract and Age-related Maculopathy Grading Systems. Generalized Estimating Equation (GEE) and logistic regression models were used in the statistical analysis. RESULTS. Higher prevalence was found for both late and early ARM in eyes with cataract or a past history of cataract surgery. However, after adjusting for age, sex and other ARM risk factors, no consistent association was found between presence of cortical, nuclear or posterior subcapsular (PSC) cataract or past history of cataract surgery and...