Fifteen-Year Cumulative Incidence of Age-Related Macular Degeneration

We document the long-term incidence of signs of AMD and a continuum from small hard drusen to late AMD in older persons in the population. The 15-year cumulative incidence of late AMD in people ≥ 75 years of age (8%) indicates a public health problem of significant proportions because the United States population this age is expected to increase by 54% between 2005 and 2025.