Giving up a bad habit, such as smoking, is among the most popular New Year’s resolutions. Unfortunately, many consider it as one of those things that are easier said than done. Quitting is no walk in the park for most smokers. Although the dangers of cigarette smoking is quite known, many still fail to heed the warning. A study published in the American Journal of Ophthalmology may serve as an eye-opener for adult smokers and perhaps motivate them to kick the habit.
Researchers from the Jules Stein Eye Institute at UCLA found out that even after age 80, smoking continues to increase the risk of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a major cause of severe vision loss in older adults. According to Dr. Anne Coleman, the lead author of the study, their findings imply that it is never too late to quit because even older people’s eyes will benefit from giving up smoking.
Our macula allows us to see fine detaiIs. Since it begins to deteriorate when you have AMD, you may experience symptoms that can range from blurred or slightly distorted central vision to a blind spot in the center of the visual field. This will cause difficulty in carrying out usual activities such as reading and driving. Your ability to recognize faces may also be affected.
Age and smoking are common risk factors for AMD. Cigarette smoking has been thought to contribute to AMD risk by reducing serum antioxidant levels, causing changes in the blood flow to the eyes and decreasing retinal pigments.
Dr. Coleman and her colleagues wanted to find out whether age influences the effects of smoking on AMD risk. Although previous research confirmed that smoking increases one’s risk for visual impairment, Dr Coleman stated that their research is the first to give an accurate picture of how it affects AMD risk later in life. The participants involved in this research are considerably older than those who were previously studied.
The investigators followed a group of 1,958 women, who had retinal photographs at five-year intervals, starting with a baseline exam at age 78. Four percent (75) of the participants smoked. The investigators compared the retinal images at ages 78 and 83. They checked the images for the appearance of AMD and evaluated whether smoking influenced the risk of developing the disease.
Those who smoked had 11 percent higher rates of AMD than other women of the same age. In women over 80, those who smoked were 5.5 times more likely to develop AMD than women their age who did not smoke. The researchers concluded that AMD risk rises with age and smoking further increases the risk of developing the disease.
There are about 1.75 million U.S. residents who have advanced AMD with vision loss; the number is expected to grow to almost 3 million by 2020. According to Dr Paul Sieving, the director of the National Eye Institute, the findings of the UCLA study gives yet another compelling reason to stop smoking and suggests that it is never too late to quit.
People who intend to quit smoking often come up with incentives that may help them stick to their goal. While cash rewards seem to motivate many, one cannot discount the fact that a non-material incentive such as saving your vision is even more worthwhile.
Photo Credit: Pablo Fernández
References:
http://www.ajo.com/article/S0002-9394%2809%2900537-6/abstract
University of California - Los Angeles (2010, January 2). It’s never too late to quit smoking and save your vision. ScienceDaily. Retrieved January 4, 2010.
Tags: age-related macular degeneration, AMD, smoking, visionloss
Discuss this topic on the Health Forum
More answers in Blog
