Hepatitis B and C linked to age-related macular degeneration
Relative risks of wet macular degeneration were higher with hepatitis B (hazard ratio 1.18) and C (1.53) than without each infection.
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Editor of record: Boris Djordjevic · AgingResearch.News
The 12,386,563 Korean adults aged 40 and older in this observational cohort underwent health examinations in 2009–2010 and were followed through 2023. Insurance records identified hepatitis infections and new diagnoses of age-related macular degeneration, an eye disease affecting central vision. During follow-up, 388,652 participants developed the disease.
Both infections were associated with higher risks of wet and dry forms. Compared with people without the respective infection, hazard ratios—comparing rates over time—were 1.18 for wet disease and 1.68 for dry disease with hepatitis B. For hepatitis C, they were 1.53 and 1.41, respectively. These estimates accounted for multiple other factors. Associations appeared stronger in women.
Why it matters
Age-related macular degeneration affects central vision in later life, making possible links with viral infections relevant to understanding who develops the disease.
Caveats
The outcomes were coded diagnoses, not measured changes in vision. Other health differences between people with and without hepatitis could have influenced the associations.
The paper
Scientific Reports, Nov 5, 2026, CC BY
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