CNN - Study Smoking raises risk of blindness - Mar. 5, 2004

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FOR COMPLETE ARTICLE GO TO: http://www.cnn.com/2004/HEALTH/conditions/03/05/smoking.blindness.reut/index.html Study: Smoking raises risk of blindnessFriday, March 5, 2004 Posted: 10:41 AM EST (1541 GMT) LONDON, England (Reuters) -- Smokers are up to four times more likely than non-smokers to develop a disease that is the leading cause of adult blindness, public health experts said in the British Medical Journal on Friday. Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is an irreversible and progressive illness that robs people of their sight. Although its causes are unknown, evidence from three large studies shows smokers have a higher risk of suffering from it. "Smokers are three to four times as likely to develop AMD," Richard Edwards, a public health expert at Manchester University, told Reuters.