SMOKING IS A RISK FACTOR FOR AGE-RELATED MACULAR DEGENERATION

Smoking is an active contributor to the development of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a progressive ophthalmic disease that affects the central retina of the eye and leads to a gradual weakening of central vision.

A very large number of people are unaware of the connection between smoking and AMD and, at the same time, the existence of such an eye disease. The problem is that when AMD is diagnosed, all that remains is to treat only the symptoms, and the disease itself is incurable. This suggests that a person quitting smoking significantly reduces the risk of developing AMD.

Smoking leads to an increase in the number of free radicals in the body, which attack the cells of the macula and, accordingly, disrupt the blood supply to the retina.

Certainly there are many more those afflicted with age-related macular degeneration among smokers than in those who are not dependent on this bad habit. A recent study has shown that smoking has a profound effect on vision loss.

In their study, the researchers analyzed data from 5,000 Americans and performed a complete ophthalmologic examination, including fundus images. Test data were collected every five years. Experts took into account all risk factors, such as gender, heredity, age, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, unbalanced diet, etc. “As it turned out, smoking damages the vessels supplying the retina. At the same time, this addiction can lead to the emergence and accumulation of toxins that poison light-sensitive cells, ” the author, Chelsea Myers, comments on the results of the work. “The findings show that smoking is a potent risk factor for age-related macular degeneration.”

Therefore, experts strongly recommend giving up this bad habit, which leads to an exacerbation of a “multitude of ills” and can contribute to premature death.

This publication has been prepared with the support of the Presidential Grants Fund