Purpose:

The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence estimates of macular telangiectasia type 2 in an Australian population based on nonmydriatic digital fundus photography.

Methods:

Participants of the Melbourne Collaborative Cohort Study, initiated to investigate risk factors for common aging diseases, had nonmydriatic digital macular images taken from both eyes and graded for any macular abnormalities. Prevalence of the features suggestive of macular telangiectasia type 2 was assessed.

Results:

Macular images from the 22,062 subjects with a mean age of 64.96 years (range, 47–85 years) were assessed. Of these images, 43,234 images were gradable (21,708 images of the right eye and 21,526 images of the left eye). Using only the grading features of the macular images taken by the nonmydriatic digital fundus photography, 5 subjects with signs consistent with bilateral macular telangiectasia type 2 in this population were found by the authors. Based on the Gass-Blodi staging of this disease, all (5) were determined to be in stages 2 and 3.

Conclusion:

In an Australian population, the prevalence estimates of macular telangiectasia type 2 were found to be 1 of 22,062 to 5 of 22,062 or 5 to 23 cases per 100,000 people in which disease was at least at stages 2 and 3.