Passive smoking linked to blindness

assive smoking almost doubles the risk of developing age-related macular degeneration (AMD) - an incurable disease that causes blindness, a study has found.

Cambridge University researchers studied 435 British adults with AMD and 280 partners who lived with them.

They found the more a person smoked the greater the risk of them and their partners developing AMD.

Regularly smoking a pack or more a day for 40 years almost tripled the risk of AMD compared with non-smokers, the research showed.

However, the researchers also found for people who had given up smoking for 20 years or more the risk was cut to levels comparable with those for non-smokers.

The macula lies at the centre of retina at the back of the eye. It’s crucial for fine central vision, which is essential for tasks, such as reading and driving.

The risk of developing AMD increases once someone is over the age of 60. It is a leading cause of partial sightedness and blindness in many European countries and the US.

Around 500,000 people in the UK have AMD and an estimated 54,000 people have the condition as a result of smoking.

Taken from : www.999today.com