Ophthalmological aspects of the Gutenberg Health Study (GHS): An interdisciplinary prospective population-based cohort study [Ophthalmologische Aspekte der Gutenberg Gesundheitsstudie: Eine interdisziplinäre prospektive populationsbasierte Kohortenstudie]

The Gutenberg Health Study (GHS) is a prospective, single center, population-based cohort study. It is an interdisciplinary project for investigation of ocular, cardiovascular, psychosomatic and immune diseases in the population of the City of Mainz and the district of Mainz-Bingen in central Germany. The main goals of the ophthalmological branch of GHS are determination of the prevalence and incidence of major ocular risk factors and diseases, exploring the genetic determinants and assessing complex interdisciplinary associations. The study cohort includes 15,010 participants aged between 35 and 74 years at the time of inclusion. After completing the baseline investigations the 5-year follow-up of the whole study cohort started in April 2012. The GHS is the most extensive data set of major ophthalmological conditions and risk factors in Germany and will help researchers in understanding complex medical associations. © 2013 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.