(http://www.PreserveMacForte.com) Smokers are playing a dangerous game of Russian Roulette when it comes to their eye health, according to the Macular Degeneration Association on May 31.
As if the threats of lung cancer, high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, chronic bronchitis and osteoporosis are not enough, smokers also face a greater risk of coming down with blindness-causing age-related macular degeneration (AMD). In fact, those who insist on lighting up are as much as four times more likely to be diagnosed with the ailment as are people who choose not to smoke. Which should be more than enough reason to kick the dangerous bad habit.
The Macular Degeneration Association said in the article that people, while generally aware of some of the more high-profile negative side effects that can come from smoking cigarettes, tend not to be as well-versed on the dangers that the bad habit can have on the eyes. This is so even though there is evidence linking smoking with an increased risk of coming down with AMD. Furthermore, smoking is one of the primary things people need to seriously considering giving up if they want to lessen their odds of getting AMD.
According to the article, smoking can lead to vision-impairment conditions that include not only AMD, but also cataracts. Furthermore, the article noted that researchers are of the opinion that smoking is a contributing factor to other eye ailments as well, which suggests that proper eye health is impossible for those who insist on lighting up and puffing away. The article added that there has been a substantial rise in the amount of eye ailments found in smokers and in people who are often exposed to second-hand smoke.
The Macular Degeneration Association said in the article that, with an increase in the amount of people suffering vision loss, public awareness campaigns on the matter are particularly important. The Macular Degeneration Association added that studies show that people who kick their tobacco habit are, after year one, 6.7% less likely to come down with AMD. And the odds of getting the eye disease falls a further 5% within five years.