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To describe the prevalence across time of 3 chronic eye diseases among a representative cohort of elderly subjects.

Longitudinal observation of Medicare claims.

A random sample of Medicare beneficiaries 65 years and older, nationally representative at baseline.

Diagnosis of diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma, and age-related macular degeneration.

Beneficiaries were followed from 1991 to 1999 unless mortality or enrollment in a health maintenance organization for 6 or more months in a year intervened. Claims data were analyzed for the presence of codes from theInternational Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification, indicating 1 of the 3 conditions. Transitions between severity stages were also evaluated.

Of 20 325 beneficiaries in 1991, 10 476 were available for analysis in 1999. The prevalence of diabetes mellitus …