Prevalence of optic disc haemorrhages in an elderly UK Caucasian population and possible association with reticular pseudodrusen-the Bridlington Eye Assessment Project (BEAP): a cross-sectional study (2002-2006).

Aims: To determine disc haemorrhage (DH) prevalence in an elderly UK population-the Bridlington Eye Assessment Project (BEAP).

Methods: Thirty-degree fundus photographs (3549 participants ≥65 years) were graded for DH/macula changes. Glaucoma evaluation included Goldmann tonometry, 26-point suprathreshold visual-fields and mydriatic slit-lamp assessment for glaucomatous optic neuropathy.

Results: In all, 3548 participants with photographs in at least one eye. DHs were present in 53 subjects (1.49%), increasing from 1.17% (65- to 69-year age group) to 2.19% (80- to 84-year age group), p = 0.06. DH was found in 9/96 (9.38%) right eyes (RE) with open-angle glaucoma (OAG). Two of twelve RE (16.67%) with normal-tension glaucoma (NTG) had DH. Prevalence in eyes without glaucoma was lower (32/3452, [0.93%]). Reticular pseudodrusen (RPD) occurred in 170/3212 (5.29%) subjects without DH, and 8/131 subjects (6.11%) with OAG. Twenty eyes had NTG, two of whom had RPD (10%) (p = 0.264). Within a logistic regression model, DH was associated with glaucoma (OR 10.2, 95% CI 5.32-19.72) and increasing age (OR 1.05, 95% CI 1.00-1.10, p = 0.03). DH was associated with RPD (p = 0.05) with univariate analysis but this was not statistically significant in the final adjusted model. There was no significant association with gender, diabetes mellitus (DM), hypertension treatment or Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD) grade.

Conclusion: DH prevalence is 1.5% in those over 65 years old and significantly associated with glaucoma and increasing age. There appears to be increased RPD prevalence in eyes with DH and NTG with age acting as a confounding factor. Larger studies are required to fully assess the relationship and investigate a possible shared aetiology of choroidal ischaemia.