Patients with age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and nuclear cataract have been shown to have an increased mortality rate.
The latest report to come out of the Age Related Eye Disease Study (published in Archives of Ophthalmology, 2004;122(5):716-726) looked at 4,753 patients who died in the follow-up period.
It was found that subjects with advanced AMD had a higher mortality rate than those with earlier stage and non-progressed disease. Visual acuity of less than 6/12, nuclear cataract and cataract surgery also were associated with higher death rates.
Patients receiving zinc supplementation appeared to have a lower mortality rate.
The authors suggested that much more research was needed, particularly with regard to the influence of zinc, but the implication was that AMD and cataract were ultimately related to a systemic condition which led to a higher mortality rate.
The latest report to come out of the Age Related Eye Disease Study (published in Archives of Ophthalmology, 2004;122(5):716-726) looked at 4,753 patients who died in the follow-up period.
It was found that subjects with advanced AMD had a higher mortality rate than those with earlier stage and non-progressed disease. Visual acuity of less than 6/12, nuclear cataract and cataract surgery also were associated with higher death rates.
Patients receiving zinc supplementation appeared to have a lower mortality rate.
The authors suggested that much more research was needed, particularly with regard to the influence of zinc, but the implication was that AMD and cataract were ultimately related to a systemic condition which led to a higher mortality rate.
AMD linked to mortality rate
