Age related macular degeneration is one of the common problems suffered by people over the age of 60yrs. In a study published in the British Journal of Ophthalmology, researchers had said that smoking is one of the habits that raise the risk of this disease almost by double.
Macular degeneration is one of the most common causes for loss of vision for the elderly people. This disorder affects the central vision and makes it difficult to do anything that would like the eye to see something in detail. Macular degeneration makes it difficult for the elderly to read, drive or even watch television.Earlier researchers in their study have pointed out that age related macular degeneration is related to genetic components. In the new study researchers had pointed out to a number of environmental factors that may be responsible for this disease. These factors are smoking, hypertension, diet, lifetime experience of sunlight, iris color etc.
Apart from finding out the environmental factors that are causing age related eye disorders the study had also been able to identify some new genes, like EPHX1, ADPRT1, CYP2D6, and AhR, that affect the macular degeneration.
