Family history and age‐related maculopathy: The Blue Mountains Eye Study

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Abstract
Purpose: To assess the associations between stages of age‐related maculopathy (ARM) and reported family history of this eye disease. Methods: A cross‐sectional study of 3654 subjects from a defined geographical area west of Sydney (NSW, Australia) identified subjects with late age‐related macular degeneration (AMD) and early ARM from masked detailed grading of retinal photographs. Interviewer‐administered questionnaires provided data on family history of ARM. Logistic regression was used to assess associations, adjusting for other known risk factors. Results: A family history of ARM was significantly associated with both late AMD (odds ratio (OR) 3.92; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.34‐11.46) and early ARM (OR 2.17; 95% CI 1.04‐4.55). The association was highest for neovascular AMD. Conclusions: These findings provide persuasive evidence that a stated family history of ARM is an important risk factor for ARM.