Smoking
Environmental factors like smoke, pollution, or smoking cigarette can be a risk factor for initiating macular degeneration. New researches have indicated that more smoking increases the chances of blindness among the elderly. According to two studies published in the journal of the American Medical Association in October 1996, the more people smoke, and the longer they smoke higher will be the risk of macular degeneration development.
Smoking can enhance the numbers of chemical compounds and reduce the protective nutrients that are delivered to the eye through the blood. With a reduction in protective nutrients, the chances of deterioration in the eye increases. Some studies have also indicated that smoking reduces blood and oxygen in the eye.
These results identify that there is an association between smoking and AMD. Smoking is also known to reduce macular pigment density by impeding the effect of antioxidants, and increase oxidants can damage the retina.