Smoking can increase risk of macular degeneration

A study shows that smoking can increase the risk of the development of age related Macular Degeneration

It is being reported that smoking can increase your risk of developing a very serious eye disorder. Macular Degeneration is the name of the eye condition, that becomes more prominant in people who smoke as they age. There is currently no cure for the disorder, therefore preventing it is the best prevention.

The same study, also had a positive side as it was found out that fish oils, can help to reduce one's risk of contracting the disease.

Age related Macular Degeneration is the leading cause of blindness for individuals over the age of 60, therefore being able to limit one's risk to developing the disease is very important.

The study was conducted on 681 elderly male twins who were asked a series of questions pertaining to their background and their experiences if any with the disease. 222 of the surveyed men, had the disease while the remaining men did not have any signs at all. The researchers also learned that current smokers were at a 1.9 time greater risk of contracting the disease compared to people who did not smoke.

"Smoking increases the risk of age-related macular degeneration," said study author Dr. Johanna M. Seddon, director of the Epidemiology Unit at the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary and an associate professor of ophthalmology at Harvard Medical School. "This study of twins provides further evidence that cigarette smoking increases risk, while fish consumption and omega-3 fatty acid intake reduce risk of age-related macular degeneration."

The study recommends that for optimum benefits to protect against AMD, one should live a smoke free healthy lifestyle. Genetics may play a contributing factor, however the way that we live our lives can also trigger certain factors such as negative stimuli that can prove costly to our health.

(Reuters)