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Macular Degeneration Risk Doubles for Senior Smokers
April 14, 2005 - Smoking doubles the risk of the
progressive and irreversible eye condition, age-related macular degeneration (AMD),
for senior citizens and may account for almost 30,000 cases in the UK,
suggests research in the British Journal of Ophthalmology.
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The risk of macular degeneration increases with age
and is the most common cause of blindness in the UK, affecting around
200,000 elderly people. According to Prevent Blindness America's Vision
Problems in the U.S. report, 1.65 million Americans age 50 and older
have advanced stages of AMD, and this number is expected to double by
2030. Worldwide, as many as 30 million people have AMD in various
stages.
Although the disease can affect younger people, it
is much more common among older adults.
The findings in this British study are based on a
representative sample of over 4,000 people, aged 75 and older, from 49
general practices across Britain.
The participants all underwent a series of detailed
eye tests and were asked about their smoking habits, and if they had
given up, how long ago. After taking into account other risk factors,
such as alcohol consumption and cardiovascular disease, the results
showed that current smokers were twice as likely to be visually impaired
as non-smokers.
Those who had kicked the habit more than 20 years
previously were not at risk.
Based on the numbers of people in the UK who are
blind or who are partially sighted as a result of macular degeneration,
the authors calculated that smoking was likely to have caused up to
30,000 cases.
"An increased risk of [age related macular
degeneration], which is the most commonly occurring cause of blindness
in the United Kingdom, is yet another reason for people to stop smoking
and governments to develop public health campaigns against this hazard,"
conclude the authors.
AMD robs people of their central vision and often,
the ability to read a book, recognize a face, see fine details, and
distinguish some colors. There are two forms of AMD: "dry" and "wet".
Dry AMD is the most common form of the disease. It involves the presence
of drusen - fatty deposits that form under the light-sensing cells in
the retina. Vision loss in the early stages of dry AMD is usually
moderate and progresses slowly. Wet AMD is less common, but more
threatening to vision. Wet AMD causes tiny blood vessels under the
retina to leak or break open. This distorts vision and causes scar
tissue to form. Laser therapies can be effective in controlling the
advances of wet AMD, but are ineffective in treating dry AMD.
The exact cause of AMD is unknown, but risk factors
for the disease include age, being Caucasian, diets high in fat content,
and smoking. Recently, a gene was identified by researchers at Oregon
Health & Science University that they suspect is the main cause of many
cases of AMD. Further studies must be done, but If the gene proves to be
the cause, gene therapy may help delay or even prevent the disease.
One treatment that holds some promise is the
artificial retina, which has been implanted successfully in several test
subjects. Although there is no cure, these and other research studies
hold great future promise for millions of people suffering from the
disease. However, there are steps that you can take NOW to reduce the
risk of developing AMD and/or slowing the progression.
It has been shown that early stages of AMD can
worsen by eating fatty, processed baked goods. Conversely, research
suggests that diets rich in certain antioxidants, including lutein and
zeaxanthin can help protect your eyes against AMD. "Mom's old adage to
eat your spinach was wise advice," said Daniel D. Garrett, PBA
spokesperson. "Harvard researchers found that one or both of these
antioxidants work by absorbing the blue light from the sun before it can
damage the retina," Garrett added.
A recent study by the National Eye Institute
suggests that pharmacological-level doses of zinc, vitamins C and E, and
beta carotene may help slow the progression of AMD. The benefits of the
nutrients were seen only in people who were at high risk of developing
advanced AMD, those with intermediate AMD in one or both eyes, and those
with advanced AMD in one eye only.
The following are some signs of AMD:
> Straight lines such as telephone poles, the
sides of buildings or streetlight poles, look wavy.
> Written text and/or type can appear blurry.
> A dark or empty spot may block the center of
your vision.
Links:
National Eye Institute
Click Here
Free test for AMD
Click Here
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