Link between smoking and AMD highlighted by College

The College of Optometrists has highlighted the link between smoking and AMD as part of this year’s No Smoking Day on March 8.

Smokers are four times more likely to develop AMD than non-smokers, according to research from the British Medical Journal (BMJ).

College clinical adviser Daniel Hardiman-McCartney said: ‘We all know that smoking has a detrimental effect on health, but it’s important to highlight the lesser known effect that it can have on eyesight, one of people’s most valued senses.

Tobacco smoke is composed of as many as 4,000 active compounds, most of which are toxic and potentially damaging to the eyes.