Age-related macular degeneration among the elderly: The 5th National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2010 through 2012.

Aim: This study was conducted to identify the prevalence and factors associated with age-related macular degeneration (AMD) in Korean elderly.

Methods: The study population of this cross-sectional survey was the Korean Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KHANES) 2010 through 2012, the fifth population-based study.

Results: Analysis of 2,767 elderly (above age 65) from 23,376 participants showed the prevalence of any AMD to be 17.6% in the Korean elderly. Factors that were significantly positively associated with AMD included age, sex, occupation, low socioeconomic status, liver cirrhosis and physical activity (p < .01). Significantly negatively associated with AMD were cardiovascular disease, obesity, and beta-carotene intake (p < .05).

Conclusions: This study estimated the prevalence rate and assessed factors associated with AMD in the elderly. This can be used to build a strategy for elderly eye health, and provides valuable information for screening for putative risks in the elderly.