Smoking regularly for prolonged period increases the long term risks for eyes and has greater progression of severe eye-diseases with macular degeneration that is related with age.

A research study recently examined the effects of smoking on eyes and age related macular degeneration (AMD). The study reveals that such effects are more likely to cause a loss of vision among the elders also. Smoking has been categorized as a modifiable risk factor for such problems.

Smoking

Dr. Ronald Klein and his colleague researchers at the ‘University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison’ conducted this study that involved 4,926 residents of the Beaver Dam, Wisconsin. All these resident participants were within an age group of 43 to 84 years in the specific time span of one year, 1987 to 1988.

Researchers did examine all these participants at the beginning of the study in 1988 to 1990. A re-examination was conducted again after a period of five years and this continued till next fifteen years. Researchers took photographs of the retina during these examinations and measured the age related macular degeneration (AMD). A status report for each participant was prepared on the basis of the examinations.

According to the study, there were 21% of the men and 18% of the women who were identified as smokers at the beginning .Researchers could found subsequently that the smokers had a 47% increased risk of developing early AMD. Early AMD stage is the least dangerous stage of this disease. Such smokers were found to have developed AMD at an early stage in life comparatively at 69.2 years. Former smokers, on the other side developed AMD at comparatively later stage at 74.4 years.” Smoking at the beginning of the study was also associated with the cumulative progression of AMD over the 15 years of the study”, said Dr.Ronald Klein.

Researchers feel that smoking is closely associated with the progression of AMD in world over. Multiple health care implications like “early AMD is associated with an increase in the risk of developing late AMD and smoking behavior is modifiable“, says Dr. Klein.

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