January 28, 2010 
The risk of female smokers developing age-related macular degeneration (AMD) continues to rise for those over the age of 80, according to a new study…
Researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) reported that women who smoke had an 11% higher rate of AMD than other women their own age. Whilst the risk of developing the condition became five-and-a-half times higher for women over the age of 80 when compared to women the same age who didn’t smoke.
Lead author and professor of ophthalmology at the Jules Stein Eye Institute, UCLA, Dr Anne Coleman said: “The take-home message is that it’s never too late to quit smoking.
“We found that even older people’s eyes will benefit from kicking the habit.”
The study evaluated a group of 1,958 women who had retinal images taken at five-year intervals, starting with a baseline exam at 78-years-old. The images were compared to check the appearance of AMD and see if smoking affected the person’s likelihood of developing the condition. 4% of participants were smokers.
Dr Coleman explained: “Age is the strongest predictor for AMD, yet most of the research in this field has been conducted in people younger than 75. Our population was considerably older than those previously studied. This research provides the first accurate snapshot of how smoking affects AMD risk later in life.”
After age, smoking is the second most common risk factor of AMD. 
Talking about the results, Dr Coleman added: “We saw a slightly higher rate of AMD in women after age 80, but the rate was dramatically higher in older women who smoked. The bottom line is that AMD risk increases with age. And if you smoke, your risk of developing the disease rises even further.”
The study was published in this month’s edition of The American Journal of Ophthalmology.
Taken from: www.otmagazine.co.uk