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Biomedical subjects

Mae O Gordon

Publications and source records attributed to Mae O Gordon.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Validated prediction model for the development of primary open-angle glaucoma in individuals with ocular hypertension.

OBJECTIVE: To test the validity and generalizability of the Ocular Hypertension Treatment Study (OHTS) prediction model for the development of primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) in a large independent sample of untreated ocular hypertensive individuals and to develop a quantitative calculator to estimate the 5-year risk that an individual with ocular hypertension will develop POAG. DESIGN: A prediction model was developed from the observation group of the OHTS and then tested on the placebo group of the European Glaucoma Prevention Study (EGPS) using a z statistic to compare hazard ratios, a c statistic for discrimination, and a calibration chi2 for systematic overestimation/underestimation of predicted risk. The 2 study samples were pooled to increase precision and generalizability of a 5-year predictive model for developing POAG. PARTICIPANTS: The OHTS observation group (n = 819; 6.6 years' median follow-up) and EGPS placebo group (n = 500; 4.8 years' median follow-up). TESTING: Data were collected on demographic characteristics, medical history, ocular examination visual fields (VFs), and optic disc photographs. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Development of reproducible VF abnormality or optic disc progression as determined by masked readers and attributed to POAG by a masked end point committee. RESULTS: The same predictors for the development of POAG were identified independently in both the OHTS observation group and the EGPS placebo group-baseline age, intraocular pressure, central corneal thickness, vertical cup-to-disc ratio, and Humphrey VF pattern standard deviation. The pooled multivariate model for the development of POAG had good discrimination (c statistic, 0.74) and accurate estimation of POAG risk (calibration chi2, 7.05). CONCLUSIONS: The OHTS prediction model was validated in the EGPS placebo group. A calculator to estimate the 5-year risk of developing POAG, based on the pooled OHTS-EGPS predictive model, has high precision and will be useful for clinicians and patients in deciding the frequency of tests and examinations during follow-up and advisability of initiating preventive treatment.

Cornea↗

Detection and prognostic significance of optic disc hemorrhages during the Ocular Hypertension Treatment Study.

PURPOSE: To compare the rates of detection of optic disc hemorrhages by clinical examination and by review of optic disc photographs at the Optic Disc Reading Center (ODRC), to assess the incidence of and the predictive factors for disc hemorrhages in the annual disc photographs of the Ocular Hypertension Treatment Study (OHTS), and to determine whether optic disc hemorrhages predict the development of primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) in the OHTS. DESIGN: Cohort study. PARTICIPANTS: Three thousand two hundred thirty-six eyes of 1618 participants. METHODS: Both eyes of participants were examined for optic disc hemorrhages every 6 months by clinical examination, with dilated fundus examinations every 12 months, and by annual review of stereoscopic disc photographs at the ODRC. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Incidence of optic disc hemorrhages and POAG end points. RESULTS: Median follow-up was 96.3 months. Stereophotography-confirmed glaucomatous optic disc hemorrhages were detected in 128 eyes of 123 participants before the POAG end point. Twenty-one cases (16%) were detected by both clinical examination and review of photographs, and 107 cases (84%) were detected only by review of photographs (P<0.0001). Baseline factors associated with disc hemorrhages were older age, thinner corneas, larger vertical cup-to-disc ratio, larger pattern standard deviation index on perimetry, family history of glaucoma, and smoking status. The occurrence of a disc hemorrhage increased the risk of developing POAG 6-fold in a univariate analysis (P<0.001; 95% confidence interval, 3.6-10.1) and 3.7-fold in a multivariate analysis that included baseline factors predictive of POAG (P<0.001; 95% confidence interval, 2.1-6.6). The 96-month cumulative incidence of POAG in the eyes without optic disc hemorrhage was 5.2%, compared with 13.6% in the eyes with optic disc hemorrhage. In eyes with a disc hemorrhage in which a POAG end point developed, the median time between the 2 events was 13 months. CONCLUSIONS: Review of stereophotographs was more sensitive at detecting optic disc hemorrhage than clinical examination. The occurrence of an optic disc hemorrhage was associated with an increased risk of developing a POAG end point in participants in the OHTS. However, most eyes (86.7%) in which a disc hemorrhage developed have not experienced a POAG end point to date.

Cohort Studies↗

Baseline factors predictive of incident penetrating keratoplasty in keratoconus.

PURPOSE: To identify baseline demographic and clinical factors associated with undergoing penetrating keratoplasty (PK) in a prospective cohort of 1,065 keratoconus patients followed for eight years in the Collaborative Longitudinal Evaluation of Keratoconus (CLEK) Study. DESIGN: Multicenter, prospective, observational cohort study. METHODS: We report the rate of PK over eight years and baseline factors predictive of PK in 1,065 patients who, at the time of study enrollment, had not undergone PK in either eye. RESULTS: Eighty-two percent of patients completed the eight-year close-out visit. Twelve percent (126 of 1,065) had PK in one (9.3%) or both eyes (2.5%). Baseline factors associated with increased likelihood of PK included younger age, steeper keratometric values, worse visual acuity, corneal scarring, poorer contact lens comfort, and poorer vision-related quality of life. The percent of eyes undergoing PK was 15% for patients 40 years old and younger, 28% for eyes with a steep keratometric value greater than 52 diopters, 33% for visual acuity less than 20/40, and 24% for eyes with corneal scarring. CONCLUSIONS: The CLEK Study confirmed previous reports of the increased likelihood of PK associated with corneal scarring, steeper keratometry values, poorer visual acuity, and poorer contact lens comfort. The CLEK Study is among the first to report an increased risk of PK associated with younger age, worse vision-related quality of life, and flatter contact lens fits. Knowledge of these factors is beneficial to clinicians in patient education and may be useful in disease management.

Adolescent↗

Management of ocular hypertension: a cost-effectiveness approach from the Ocular Hypertension Treatment Study.

PURPOSE: The Ocular Hypertension Treatment Study (OHTS) demonstrated that medical treatment of people with intraocular pressure (IOP) of > or =24 mm Hg reduces the risk of the development of primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) by 60%. There is no consensus on which people with ocular hypertension would benefit from treatment. DESIGN: Cost-utility analysis with the use of a Markov model. METHODS: We modeled a hypothetic cohort of people with IOP of > or =24 mm Hg. Four treatment thresholds were considered: (1) Treat no one; (2) treat people with a > or =5% annual risk of the development of POAG; (3) treat people with a > or =2% annual risk of the development of POAG, and (4) treat everyone. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio was evaluated. RESULTS: The incremental cost-effectiveness ratios for treatment of people with ocular hypertension were 3670 US dollars per quality adjusted life-year (QALY) for the Treat > or =5% threshold and 42,430 US dollars/QALY for the Treat > or =2% threshold. "Treat everyone" cost more and was less effective than other options. Assuming a cost-effectiveness threshold of 50,000 to 100,000 US dollars/QALY, the Treat > or =2% threshold would result in the most net health benefit. The decision was sensitive to the incidence of POAG without treatment, treatment effectiveness, and the utility loss because of POAG. CONCLUSION: Although the treatment of individual patients is largely dependent on their attitude toward the risk of disease progression and blindness, the treatment of those patients with IOP of > or =24 mm Hg and a > or =2% annual risk of the development of glaucoma is likely to be cost-effective. Delay of treatment for all people with ocular hypertension until glaucoma-related symptoms are present appears to be unnecessarily conservative.

Adult↗

Topical ocular hypotensive medication and lens opacification: evidence from the ocular hypertension treatment study.

PURPOSE: To determine whether topical ocular hypotensive medication is associated with refractive changes, visual symptoms, decreased visual function, or increased lens opacification. DESIGN: Multi-center clinical trial. METHODS: We compared the medication and observation groups of the Ocular Hypertension Treatment Study (OHTS) during 6.3 years of follow-up with regard to the rate of cataract and combined cataract/filtering surgery, and change from baseline in visual function, refraction, and visual symptoms. A one-time assessment of lens opacification was done using the Lens Opacities Classification System III (LOCS III) grading system. RESULTS: An increased rate of cataract extraction and cataract/filtering surgery was found in the medication group (7.6%) compared with the observation group (5.6%) (hazard ratio [HR] 1.56; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.05 to 2.29). The medication and observation groups did not differ with regard to changes from baseline to June 2002 in Humphrey visual field mean deviation, Humphrey visual field foveal sensitivity, Early Treatment of Diabetic Retinopathy Study (ETDRS) visual acuity, refraction, and visual symptoms. For the medication and observation groups, LOCS III readings were similar for nuclear color, nuclear opalescence, and cortical opacification. There was a borderline higher mean grade for posterior subcapsular opacity in the medication group (0.43 +/- 0.6 SD) compared with the observation group (0.36 +/- 0.6 SD) (P = .07). CONCLUSIONS: We noted an increased rate of cataract extraction and cataract/filtering surgery in the medication group as well as a borderline higher grade of posterior subcapsular opacification in the medication group on LOCS III readings. We found no evidence for a general effect of topical ocular hypotensive medication on lens opacification or visual function.

Administration, Topical↗

The association between glaucomatous visual fields and optic nerve head features in the Ocular Hypertension Treatment Study.

PURPOSE: To determine the association between change from baseline in the optic nerve head (ONH) and the visual field (VF) during follow-up of ocular hypertension participants in the Ocular Hypertension Treatment Study. DESIGN: Longitudinal randomized clinical trial. PARTICIPANTS: One hundred sixty-eight eyes of 152 ocular hypertensive participants ages 40 to 80 years. METHODS: Cox hazard models were applied to 3232 eyes, which included 81 eyes that reached a study end point by developing a glaucomatous VF (VF end point) and 128 eyes that reached a study end point by developing an optic disc change (optic disc end point). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Primary open-angle glaucoma end point as determined by changes in the VF or optic disc. RESULTS: Forty-one eyes reached an end point by both VF and optic disc criteria; 40 eyes reached only a VF end point, and 87 reached only an optic disc end point. Times to reach isolated disc or field end points were similar. Visual field end points were more likely (P<0.0001) in eyes that showed the following ONH features: an ONH hemorrhage, thinning of the optic disc rim, or enlargement of the horizontal cup-to-disc (C/D) ratio. Optic disc end points were more likely (P<0.0001) in eyes that showed the following VF features: some evidence of a nasal step or a partial arcuate VF defect, or an increase in the pattern standard deviation (PSD). CONCLUSIONS: Both the VF and the optic disc must be monitored with equal diligence, because either may show the first evidence of glaucomatous damage. Changes in the ONH based on stereophotographic observation (rim thinning, hemorrhage, or a slight increase in C/D ratio) and VF changes (evidence of a nasal step/partial arcuate defect or an increase in PSD) suggest that these cases have an increased risk of developing glaucoma. Confirmation of such subtle findings should be sought through repeat testing and correlation with other clinical results.

Adult↗

Estimation of the incidence and factors predictive of corneal scarring in the Collaborative Longitudinal Evaluation of Keratoconus (CLEK) Study.

PURPOSE: The multicenter Collaborative Longitudinal Evaluation of Keratoconus (CLEK) Study is a prospective, observational study of 1209 keratoconus patients. We report methods to define incident corneal scarring and baseline factors predictive of incident corneal scarring in nonsurgical eyes of CLEK Study keratoconus patients through their fifth year of follow-up. METHODS: Of the 1,209 patients, 878 patients with at least one unscarred cornea at baseline were included in this study. The cumulative 5-year incidence of scarring is defined as the proportion of patients who developed central corneal opacification as detected by a clinician examining the patient with a slit-lamp biomicroscope and by masked readings of corneal photographs at the CLEK Photography Reading Center. Logistic regression analysis was used to test for relationships between baseline factors and incident corneal scarring. Baseline factors analyzed included age, sex, race, atopic disease, contact lens wear, family history of keratoconus, corneal curvature, and central corneal fluorescein staining, among others. RESULTS: The 5-year incidence of corneal scarring was 13.7% (120 of 878) overall, 16.7% (102 of 609) for contact lens-wearing eyes, and 38.0% (46 of 121) for contact lens-wearing eyes with corneal curvature greater than 52 D. Baseline factors predictive of incident scarring included corneal curvature greater than 52 D (odds ratio [OR] = 4.79; 95% confidence interval [CI], 3.08, 7.45; P < 0.001), contact lens wear (OR = 2.50; 95% CI, 1.40, 4.76; P = 0.003), marked corneal staining (OR = 2.38; 95% CI, 1.49, 3.76; P = 0.0002), and age less than 20 years (OR = 6.34; 95% CI, 2.57, 15.00; P < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: Multivariate analyses of 5-year prospective data from the CLEK Study cohort showed that baseline corneal curvature, contact lens wear, corneal staining, and younger age were predictive of the development of corneal scarring. The 5-year incidence of scarring is 13.7% for the overall sample and 38.0% for those eyes with corneal curvature greater than 52 D that wore contact lenses. Contact lens wear increased the risk of incident scarring more than 2-fold. These findings suggest a causal contribution of contact lens wear to corneal scarring in keratoconus and imply that corneal scarring might be reduced by modifying the contact lens fit.

Adult↗

Longitudinal changes in visual acuity in keratoconus.

PURPOSE: The present investigation aimed to identify factors that predict reduced visual acuity in keratoconus from a prospective, longitudinal study. METHODS: This report from the Collaborative Longitudinal Evaluation of Keratoconus (CLEK) Study used 7 years of follow-up data from 953 CLEK subjects who did not have penetrating keratoplasty in either eye at baseline and who provided enough data to compute the slope of the change over time in high- or low-contrast best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA). Outcome measures included these slopes and whether the number of letters correctly read decreased by 10 letters or more in at least one eye in 7 years. RESULTS: Mean age of the subjects at the first follow-up visit was 40.2 +/- 11.0 years (mean +/- SD). Overall, 44.4% were female, and 71.9% were white. The slope of the change in high- and low-contrast BCVA (-0.29 +/- 1.5 and -0.58 +/- 1.7 letters correct/year, respectively) translated into expected 7-year decreases of 2.03 high- and 4.06 low-contrast letters correct. High- and low-contrast visual acuity decreases of 10 or more letters correct occurred in 19.0% and 30.8% of subjects, respectively. Independent predictors of reduced high- and low-contrast BCVA included better baseline acuity, steeper first definite apical clearance lens (FDACL), and fundus abnormalities. Each diopter of steeper baseline FDACL predicted an increased deterioration of 0.49 high- and 0.63 low-contrast letters correct. CONCLUSIONS: CLEK Study subjects with keratoconus exhibited a slow but clear decrease in BCVA during follow-up, with low-contrast acuity deteriorating more rapidly than high-contrast. Better baseline BCVA, steeper FDACL, and fundus abnormalities were predictive of greater acuity loss with time.

Adult↗

Baseline topographic optic disc measurements are associated with the development of primary open-angle glaucoma: the Confocal Scanning Laser Ophthalmoscopy Ancillary Study to the Ocular Hypertension Treatment Study.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether baseline confocal scanning laser ophthalmoscopy (CSLO) optic disc topographic measurements are associated with the development of primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) in individuals with ocular hypertension. METHODS: Eight hundred sixty-five eyes from 438 participants in the CSLO Ancillary Study to the Ocular Hypertension Treatment Study with good-quality baseline CSLO images were included in this study. Each baseline CSLO parameter was assessed in univariate and multivariate proportional hazards models to determine its association with the development of POAG. RESULTS: Forty-one eyes from 36 CSLO Ancillary Study participants developed POAG. Several baseline topographic optic disc measurements were significantly associated with the development of POAG in both univariate and multivariate analyses, including larger cup-disc area ratio, mean cup depth, mean height contour, cup volume, reference plane height, and smaller rim area, rim area to disc area, and rim volume. In addition, classification as "outside normal limits" by the Heidelberg Retina Tomograph classification and the Moorfields Regression Analysis classifications (overall, global, temporal inferior, nasal inferior, and superior temporal regions) was significantly associated with the development of POAG. Within the follow-up period of this analysis, the positive predictive value of CSLO indexes ranged from 14% (Heidelberg Retina Tomograph classification and Moorfields Regression Analysis overall classification) to 40% for Moorfields Regression Analysis temporal superior classification. CONCLUSIONS: Several baseline topographic optic disc measurements alone or when combined with baseline clinical and demographic factors were significantly associated with the development of POAG among Ocular Hypertension Treatment Study participants. Longer follow-up is required to evaluate the true predictive accuracy of CSLO measures.

False Positive Reactions↗

Normal visual field test results following glaucomatous visual field end points in the Ocular Hypertension Treatment Study.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the occurrence of normal visual field (VF) test results following 2 vs 3 consecutive, abnormal, reliable test results in the Ocular Hypertension Treatment Study. METHODS: The Ocular Hypertension Treatment Study is a prospective, multicenter follow-up study as part of a longitudinal randomized clinical trial. Sixty-four (68 eyes) of 1636 participants developed a VF primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) end point. We compared the proportion of normal VF test results after a VF POAG end point among eyes whose VF abnormality was confirmed by 2 (n = 9 eyes) vs 3 (n = 59 eyes) consecutive, abnormal, reliable VF test results. RESULTS: The proportion of VF test results that were normal subsequent to a VF POAG end point in eyes whose abnormality was confirmed by 2 consecutive, abnormal, reliable test results was significantly higher (73 [66%] of 110) compared with eyes whose abnormality was confirmed by 3 consecutive, abnormal, reliable test results (46 [12%] of 381) (P = .01). CONCLUSIONS: A VF POAG end point confirmed by 3 consecutive, abnormal, reliable VF test results appears to have greater specificity and stability than either 1 or 2 consecutive, abnormal, reliable VF test results. However, some eyes whose VF POAG end point was confirmed by 3 consecutive, abnormal, reliable test results nonetheless had 1 or more normal test results on follow-up.

Adult↗

Differences in keratoconus as a function of gender.

PURPOSE: To characterize gender differences in the Collaborative Longitudinal Evaluation of Keratoconus (CLEK) Study. DESIGN: Observational, longitudinal study. METHODS: A total of 1209 subjects at 16 clinics. For eye-specific categorical variables, the number of eyes per subject with the characteristic was counted. For eye-specific continuous variables, the mean of both eyes was calculated. Multivariate linear (for continuous outcomes) and logistic (for categorical outcomes) regression models were created for each baseline characteristic with statistically significant (P < or = .05) differences between men and women. Age, race, education, and corneal curvature were covariates. RESULTS: The women were older, more likely to report a family history of keratoconus, more likely to be nonwhite, and less likely to complete college than men. Vogt's striae and monocular and binocular high-contrast entrance acuity were the only visual characteristics that varied between men and women in the multivariate model. Women were more likely than men to report ocular symptoms of dryness and complaints based upon a composite score of ocular symptoms. Women reported more hours per day of near work and were less likely to report the ability to wear contact lenses for enough hours to permit reading at home in the evening. Women reported more visits to their eye care practitioner during the previous 12 months. NEI-VFQ results revealed differences in self-reported difficulty with distance activities and driving. CONCLUSIONS: Gender differences exist in patient history, vision, and ocular symptoms in keratoconus patients.

Adult↗

Test-retest reproducibility of optic disk deterioration detected from stereophotographs by masked graders.

PURPOSE: To assess the reproducibility of determining whether an eye has developed optic disk deterioration by the Optic Disc Reading Center (ODRC) in the Ocular Hypertension Treatment Study (OHTS). DESIGN: Test-retest reproducibility study. METHODS: Masked, certified graders at the ODRC determine the occurrence of optic disk deterioration in OHTS by comparing baseline with follow-up stereoscopic optic disk photographs. To assess reproducibility, re-gradings were obtained annually by inserting masked "quality control" photographs into the usual ODRC reading stream. RESULTS: Agreement (kappa) ranged from 0.65 to 0.83 over 5 years. Specificity ranged from 98% to 100%, and sensitivity ranged from 64% to 81%. CONCLUSIONS: The kappa statistic for test-retest agreement in OHTS is in the range considered good to excellent over 5 years. Consistency (specificity) in re-grading optic disks that did not develop deterioration was particularly high. The sensitivity results show that detecting subtle deterioration of optic disks is challenging.

Glaucoma, Open-Angle↗

Comparison of flat and steep rigid contact lens fitting methods in keratoconus.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this article is to compare the safety and efficacy of flat- and steep-fitting rigid contact lenses in keratoconus. METHODS: The Collaborative Longitudinal Evaluation of Keratoconus (CLEK) Study is a 16-center observational study. Cross-sectional results at baseline were generated for 1091 subjects with longitudinal results from the 871 subjects who completed 8 years of follow up. RESULTS: Of the 761 rigid contact lens-wearing patients at baseline, 41% had a scar at baseline compared with 24% of the nonrigid contact lens wearers (odds ratio [OR], 2.15; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.35-3.43; p = 0.001). Eighty-seven percent were fitted with flat-fitting lenses, whereas 13% were fitted with steep-fitting lenses. Rigid lens fitting method was also associated with incident corneal scarring. A greater proportion of the corneas wearing flat-fitting contact lenses were scarred (43% compared with 26% for the steep-fitted eyes; OR,= 2.19; 95% CI, 1.37-3.51; p = 0.001). After controlling for corneal curvature, the association of rigid contact lens fit and corneal scarring at baseline did not persist (adjusted OR, 1.20; 95% CI, 0.70-2.06; p = 0.52). Thirty-two percent of unscarred eyes at baseline fitted flat had developed an incident corneal scar by the eighth year follow-up visit compared with 14% of eyes fitted steep (OR, 2.93; 95% CI, 1.34-6.42; p = 0.007). CONCLUSIONS: The data reported here indicate that, after controlling for disease severity in the form of corneal curvature, keratoconic eyes fitted with a rigid contact lens resulting in an apical touch fluorescein pattern did not have an increased risk of being scarred centrally at baseline. This "natural history" sample cannot determine causal proof that one method of fitting lenses is safer than another. To achieve this, a randomized clinical trial is needed.

Contact Lenses↗

Racial differences in optic disc topography: baseline results from the confocal scanning laser ophthalmoscopy ancillary study to the ocular hypertension treatment study.

OBJECTIVE: To examine racial differences in optic disc topography among ocular hypertensive participants in the Ocular Hypertension Treatment Study. METHODS: Four hundred thirty-nine participants from 7 Ocular Hypertension Treatment Study centers who had good-quality baseline images obtained using a quantitative 3-dimensional confocal scanning laser ophthalmoscope, the Heidelberg Retina Tomograph (Heidelberg Engineering, Dossenheim, Germany), were included in this study. The first 10 degrees- or 15 degrees-field of view mean topographic image acquired was included in all analyses. Differences in Heidelberg Retina Tomograph topographic optic disc parameter measurements by self-identified race were assessed using a mixed-effects linear model to control for confounders and for the use of both eyes in the model. RESULTS: By self-attribution, 74 (17%) of the 439 participants were of African origin, 329 (75%) were white, 24 (5%) were Hispanic, and 12 (3%) were Native American, Native Alaskan, Asian, Pacific Islander, or unknown. The African American participants had statistically significantly (P<.001) larger mean (SD) optic disc areas than the other participants, 2.17 (0.41) mm(2) vs 1.87 (0.38) mm(2), respectively. African American participants had a larger cup area, cup volume, cup depth, neuroretinal rim area, rim volume, and smaller rim-optic disc area ratios than the other participants. No difference between African American and the other participants was found for cup shape and retinal nerve fiber layer thickness. After controlling for optic disc area, none of the differences between African American and the other participants found in the univariate analysis remained statistically significant (P>.10). CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrated in a large cohort of subjects with ocular hypertension, that African Americans have significantly larger optic discs, optic cups, neuroretinal rims, and cup-disc ratios than other racial groups. Furthermore, this study found that differences in topographic optic disc parameters between African Americans with ocular hypertension and other racial groups are largely explained by the larger optic disc area in the African Americans. These results highlight the need to consider race and optic disc size when evaluating the appearance of the optic disc in glaucoma.

Antihypertensive Agents↗

The Ocular Hypertension Treatment Study: topical medication delays or prevents primary open-angle glaucoma in African American individuals.

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of glaucoma is higher in African American individuals than in white individuals. OBJECTIVE: To report the safety and efficacy of topical ocular hypotensive medication in delaying or preventing the onset of primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) among African American participants in the Ocular Hypertension Treatment Study. METHODS: Eligibility criteria included age between 40 and 80 years, intraocular pressure between 24 and 32 mm Hg in one eye and between 21 and 32 mm Hg in the other eye, and no evidence of glaucomatous structural or functional damage by standard clinical measures. Participants were randomized to either the observation group or medication group. Of the 1636 participants randomized, 408 were self-identified as African American. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: The primary outcome was the development of reproducible visual field abnormality and/or reproducible optic disc deterioration attributed to POAG. RESULTS: Among African American participants, 17 (8.4%) of 203 in the medication group developed POAG during the study (median follow-up, 78 months) compared with 33 (16.1%) of 205 participants in the observation group (hazard ratio, 0.50; 95% confidence interval, 0.28-0.90; P =.02). CONCLUSION: Topical ocular hypotensive therapy is effective in delaying or preventing the onset of POAG in African American individuals who have ocular hypertension.

Administration, Topical↗

The confocal scanning laser ophthalmoscopy ancillary study to the ocular hypertension treatment study: study design and baseline factors.

PURPOSE: To describe the study design of the Confocal Scanning Laser Ophthalmoscopy (CSLO) Ancillary Study to the Ocular Hypertension Treatment Study (OHTS) and to examine the associations between optic disk topography, and baseline demographic, clinical, and ocular factors at study entry. DESIGN: A randomized clinical trial. METHODS: Participants in this ancillary study were recruited from seven of the 22 OHTS clinical centers. Each participant completed imaging annually using a CSLO, the Heidelberg Retina Tomograph (HRT). Associations between HRT topographic optic disk measurements and intraocular pressure (IOP), baseline photographic estimates of horizontal and vertical cup-to-disk diameter ratios by the OHTS Optic Disk Reading Center, baseline visual field indices, and demographic and clinical factors were assessed using linear mixed effects models. RESULTS: Four hundred thirty-nine participants had good quality images and were included in this baseline analysis. No associations between HRT topographic optic disk measurements and diabetes, systemic hypertension, cardiovascular disease, IOP, or visual function were found. The HRT topographic optic disk measurements were associated with baseline stereophotographic estimates of horizontal and vertical cup-to-disk diameter ratios. The strongest associations were found between stereophotographic assessment of horizontal and vertical cup-to-disk diameter ratios, and HRT cup-to-disk area ratio (r =.85 and.84, respectively), rim-to-disk area ratio (r = -.85 and -.84, respectively), mean cup depth (r =.84 and.83, respectively), and cup area (r =.83 and.80, respectively). After adjusting for optic disk area, all HRT topographic optic disk measurements remained associated with stereophotographic assessment of horizontal and vertical cup-to-disk diameter ratios. CONCLUSIONS: The CSLO ancillary study to the OHTS is the first multicenter clinical trial to use CSLO imaging to monitor changes in the optic disk. At study entry, HRT topographic measurements corresponded well with both horizontal and vertical stereophotographic-based estimates of cup-to-disk diameter ratio in ocular hypertensive participants.

Female↗

Quality of life in keratoconus.

PURPOSE: Keratoconus is a chronic, noninflammatory disease of the cornea with onset in early adulthood. As these years are important to financial and social health, keratoconus may have more severe impact on quality of life than would be expected given its clinical severity. We examined the vision-related quality of life of patients in the Collaborative Longitudinal Evaluation of Keratoconus (CLEK) Study. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. METHODS: The National Eye Institute-Visual Function Questionnaire (NEI-VFQ) was administered to 1166 CLEK Study patients at their first annual follow-up examination. Associations between clinical and demographic factors and NEI-VFQ scale scores were evaluated. RESULTS: Binocular entrance visual acuity worse than 20/40 was associated with lower quality of life scores on all scales except General Health and Ocular Pain. A steep keratometric reading (average of both eyes) >52 diopters (D) was associated with lower scores on the Mental Health, Role Difficulty, Driving, Dependency, and Ocular Pain scales. Scores for CLEK patients on all scales were between patients with category 3 and category 4 age-related macular degeneration (AMD) except General Health, which was better than AMD patients, and Ocular Pain, which was worse than AMD patients. CONCLUSIONS: Keratoconus is a disease of relatively low prevalence that rarely results in blindness, but because it affects young adults, the magnitude of its public health impact is disproportionate to its prevalence and clinical severity.

Adult↗