Prevalence of and risk factors for asteroid hyalosis in Seoul, Korea

PURPOSE: To estimate the prevalence of asteroid hyalosis (AH) in Seoul, Korea, and to identify risk factors for the condition. METHODS: A cross-sectional study with review of fundus photographs of subjects who received a health check-up between January 2006 and December 2006 at the Yonsei Medical Examination Center yielded 9,050 available cases (aged 40 years or older). AH was diagnosed retrospectively by the presence of cream-white spherical bodies within the vitreous, as seen in the fundus photographs. RESULTS: The estimate prevalence of AH was 0.36%. Multivariate analysis showed that the prevalence of AH was significantly higher in older patients and in those with stroke history, hypertension history, and high serum lipid levels. CONCLUSION: AH was relatively uncommon with the estimate prevalence of 0.36% in Seoul, Korea. The prevalence of AH correlated with age, stroke history, hypertension history, serum triglyceride levels, and low-density lipoprotein levels, with no gender bias. AH was not significantly associated with a history of diabetes, gout, heavy drinking, or current smoking.