Abstract
Purpose :
DR, glaucoma and ARMD is projected to increase in the coming decades. DR is a microvascular complication of diabetes that damages capillaries of the retina. Glaucoma is a neurodegenerative eye disease of the optic nerve, which causes progressive structural loss of retinal ganglion cells. AMD is a progressive degenerative retina disease of the macula. In each of these diseases, early detection is crucial to preventing or slowing the progression to an advanced stage of irreversible vision loss.
Methods :
An extensive literature review was conducted focused on whether OCT scans can be effectively used to detect and diagnose early changes in DR, glaucoma, and AMD.
CDC VEHSS prevalence data was collected from 2015-2019 for various subtypes of DR, glaucoma, and AMD in multiple disease stages at the national (United States), state (New York) and county (Monroe and Erie) level. The data was then stratified by age, gender, race and stage of the disease. This information was analyzed for trends.
Results :
The prevalence of AMD of any stage at the national, state and county level increased from 2015 to 2019.
Glaucoma of any type, the overall prevalence increased from 2018 to 2019 at all levels. POAG was most diagnosed in individuals who were non-Hispanic Black, female, or age 85 or older, whereas severe stage glaucoma was more common diagnosed in non-Hispanic Black, males and age 85 or older.
The overall prevalence of DR decreased from 2018 to 2019 at all levels. Non-proliferative DR was most diagnosed in individuals who identified as North American native, male and age 65-84 whereas severe non-proliferative DR was most diagnosed in individuals who were Hispanic, any race, male and age 40-64.
Conclusions :
The CDC data shows an increase in the prevalence all stages and forms of AMD and glaucoma and a decrease in the prevalence of all stages of DR. The data unearths racial health differences particularly for non-Hispanic Blacks, Hispanics and North American natives. Given these visual health outcomes, adoption of early detection measures, including OCT and AI, will be powerful tools in mitigating racial disparities related to disease progression and blindness worldwide.
This abstract was presented at the 2024 ARVO Annual Meeting, held in Seattle, WA, May 5-9, 2024.