Corneal opacity is a major contributor to vision loss in the US, study finds
Corneal opacity, primarily caused by corneal dystrophies, significantly affects vision and leads to substantial vision loss in a notable portion of the population, according to a study highlighting significant disparities in vision outcomes based on gender and race.
Using data from the IRIS Registry, researchers conducted a retrospective cohort study from 5,220,382 patients diagnosed with corneal opacity from January 1, 2013, to November 30, 2020.
Key Findings
- Prevalence: The corneal opacity case frequency was 6,535 per 100,000 patients, representing 6.5% of the study population.
- Demographics: The average age of patients was 63.4 years, with 57.6% female. Most patients were White (69.1%), followed by Black or African American (6.8%), Asian (2.5%), American Indian or Alaska Native (0.3%), and Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander (0.2%). Hispanic or Latino patients made up 7.3%.
- Etiologies: Corneal dystrophies were the most common cause (64.66%), followed by corneal edema (18.25%), ulcers (7.78%), keratoconjunctivitis (7.18%), degeneration (5.62%), neovascularization (6.27%), and trauma (5.28%).
- Vision Outcomes: Corneal opacity caused significant vision loss that didn’t fully improve after treatment, with worse outcomes for females and non-White patients, especially those with severe corneal conditions.
The study underscores that corneal opacity, primarily caused by corneal dystrophies, affects a significant portion of patients and leads to substantial vision loss.
Reference
Singh RB, Dohlman TH, Ivanov A, et al; IRIS Registry Data Analytic Center Consortium. Corneal Opacity in the United States: An American Academy of Ophthalmology IRIS® Registry (Intelligent Research in Sight) Study. Ophthalmology. 2024;S0161-6420(24)00416-0. doi: 10.1016/j.ophtha.2024.07.005. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 38986874.
