A team of Australian researchers from the Centre for Vision Research at the University of Sydney has found that age-related macular degeneration (AMD) doubles the risk of dying from a heart attack or stroke. Macular degeneration is a chronic eye disease that affects the center of the retina, known as the macula, inside the back wall of the eyeball and while it doesn't cause complete blindness, the disease worsens quality of life by making reading, driving or doing detail work difficult.
The researchers analyzed the general overall and eye health of over 3,600 people ages 49 and older between 1992 and1994. Five years later, 2,335 of the volunteers were re-examined and after ten years, 1,952 participants were re-examined again. The analysis included physical examinations and photographs of the retina and deaths and their cause among participants were tracked against entries made in the national register. The researchers found that for people under the age of 75 when the study began, early AMD was linked to a doubling of their risk of dying from a heart attack or stroke over the next ten years. Volunteers with late-stage AMD at the start of the study had a fivefold increased risk of dying from a heart attack and a tenfold risk of dying from a stroke.
The connection between AMD and heart attack and stroke, say experts, is that they're both vascular problems and that other factors, such as smoking, contribute to increased cardiovascular risk.
The study finding, say the researchers, could have implications in the treatment for AMD, which may increase stroke risk. Macular degeneration usually affects people ages 60 and older, with women more likely to develop the condition than men.
How to Protect Against Macular Degeneration
- Eat foods high in vitamins A, C and E found in leafy green vegetables and rich in Omega-3 fatty acids found in fish such as salmon and in other foods like almonds
- Stop smoking
- If you have cardiovascular disease or high blood pressure, be sure to follow your doctor's instructions for controlling the condition
- Get regular eye exams. Early detection of macular degeneration improves your chances of preventing serious vision loss. If you're over 40, get an eye exam every two to four years. After age 60, plan to have one every year or two
