To estimate the prevalence and risk factors of age related macular degeneration (AMD) in Gilan province, north of Iran.

This population based cross sectional study was carried out on 2975 individuals from Gilan, Iran, aged ≥50 years, in 2014. Color fundus photographs were evaluated to determine the prevalence of different grades of AMD using International Age-related Maculopathy Epidemiological Study Group grading system. The relationship between AMD and different risk factors were evaluated.

Out of 2975 anticipated individuals, 2587 subjects participated in the study (87.0% response rate) and 2275 subjects (62.6 ± 8.8 years old) had gradable fundus photographs. The age and sex- standardized prevalence of early and late AMD were 13.2% (95% confidence interval [CI], 10.6 to 16.2) and 0.7% (95% CI, 0.4 to 1.3), respectively. The prevalence of neovascular (NV) AMD and geographic atrophy (GA) were 0.26% (95% CI, 0.08 to 0.48) and 0.35% (95% CI, 0.17 to 0.66), respectively. The prevalence of early and any AMD significantly increased with age (P=0.001 and P<0.001, respectively). In multivariate analysis, diabetes (AOR = 1.66, 95% CI, 1 to 2.76) and outdoor working ≥ 4 hours a day (AOR= 4.24, 95% CI 1.27 to 14.14) were risk factors of any AMD and late AMD, respectively. However, myopia (AOR= 0.12, 95% CI, 0.02 to 0.9) was the protective factor against late AMD. No significant association was found between AMD and sex, smoking status, hypertension, pseudophakia, hyperlipidemia and iris color.

This first detailed estimate of the AMD prevalence in Iranian can be considered in designing health programs and enhancing rehabilitation services for the affected subjects.