Prevalence and associations of asteroid hyalosis: the Beijing Eye Study

Abstract

Background To determine the prevalence and associations of asteroid hyalosis (AH) in a Chinese population-based cohort. Methods The retrospective, cross-sectional, population-based Beijing Eye Study 2011 included 3468 individuals with a mean age of 64.6 ± 9.8 years (range: 50–93 years). Participants underwent detailed ophthalmic examinations including fundus photographs for diagnosis of AH. Data on systemic and ocular factors were collected for all participants according to the standardized protocol. Multiple linear regression and multivariate Logistic regression analysis were performed. Results Fundus photographs were gradable in 3419 subjects. AH was detected in 63 (0.9%, 95% CI: 0.7%, 1.1%) eyes of 53 (1.6%, 95% CI: 1.1%, 2.0%) subjects. AH was bilateral in 18.9%. Mean age of all subjects with AH was 69.2 ± 9.5 years (median, 71.0 years; range, 51–91 years), mean spherical equivalent was 0.63 ± 1.53D (median, 0.75 D; range, -4.12 to 4.00D). In multivariate analysis, prevalence of AH was associated with elder age (P = 0.014, OR 1.057), thicker lens (P = 0.032, OR 3.887), higher spherical equivalent (P = 0.017, OR 1.396). Conclusions In adult Chinese in Beijing, the prevalence of AH was 0.9% for eyes or 1.6% for subjects. AH was associated with elder age, thicker lens, and higher spherical equivalent. It was not associated with diabetes or other systemic indicators.

Asteroid Hyalosis: An Update on Prevalence, Risk Factors, Emerging Clinical Impact and Management Strategies

“…Hyperopia along with a thicker lens were found as ocular risk factors for AH in the Beijing Eye Study. 11 However, the Beaver Dam Study and our own recent national survey of United States adults did not find any significant relationship between AH and ocular conditions studied, including refractive error, glaucoma, intraocular pressure, diabetic retinopathy, or cataract.…”

“…Within the current literature, bilateral AH appears to be present in roughly 9–21% of AH cases. 9 , 11 , 13 No specific risk factors have been identified for development of bilateral AH, and it remains unclear why bilateral cases are present in only a minority of patients. This prevalence is specifically important to consider when considering potential mimickers of AH such as vitreous amyloidosis or ocular lymphoma which have a higher rate of bilateral involvement.…”

“…10 Expanding methodology to include a combination of clinical exam and fundus photography to diagnose AH, the Blue Mountain Eye Study and the Beijing Eye Study reported similar higher rates despite significantly different patient populations studied with 1.0% prevalence in the Australian population in 1997-1999 and 0.9% in the Chinese population in 2011, respectively. 8,11 Clinical exam alone was used to diagnose AH in the commonly cited Bergren et al study which evaluated a total of 12,205 patients (56% White, 43% Black) presenting for routine eye exams at Wills Eye Hospital between 1989-1990 and found a AH prevalence rate of 0.83% (n=101). 6 A unique approach was utilized in the UCLA study, which used clinical autopsy data from 10,801 eyes to diagnose AH, observing a significantly higher rate of 2% within the Los Angeles population comprising 75% White, 13% Black, and 2% Asian groups.…”