Macular Degeneration Reason to Stop Smoking

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By bgamall


Macular Degeneration Is a Result of Smoking

My mother smoked for 45 years. She had the will power to quite at age 65, cold turkey. It certainly extended her life, but the smoking had already planted the seeds of a disease. Unfortunately for my mom, macular degeneration set in at about age 75. It is a disease of the eye that leaves the site clouded in the central vision, with better vision being left on the periphery. Macular degeneration nearly blinded my mom, and she has virtually no sight in the left eye from it.

There are two kinds of macular degeneration. One is wet and the other is dry. My mom had wet in the eye that no longer functions and dry in the other. Nowdays, if you go to a vision specialist, you may be able to stop the progress of wet macular with treatments that are very effective.

It is essential to realize that, while Macular Degeneration is age related, it is significanty increased by experiencing smoking and second hand exposure. It is necessary to quit smoking early in life to lessen your chances for getting the disease. Please look at the videos below for information on new treatments and smoking along with Macular.

Lutein is a substance that can slow the onset of Macular in cases where the new treatments are not applicable. It is available as a vitamin at Walmart or your local pharmacy.



New Treatment for Macular Degeneration

Smoking and Macular Degeneration

Macular Degeneration in the News

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Iðunn profile image

Iðunn  says:
4 months ago

I'd never heard of this. My mother smoked all her life too, starting during WWII when cigarettes were part of the rations and she smoked until she had lung cancer. It was cut out and she continued to smoke until she got it again, sad to say. She still lived to her mid seventies. She never suffered this and in fact apart from the cancer was quite lucid until the end.

I really had no idea about macular degeneration, although I knew diabetes was hard on the eyes, so this was an educational hub, for me.

bgamall profile image

bgamall  says:
4 months ago

Thanks Iounn. It could motivate some to quit smoking.

Iðunn profile image

Iðunn  says:
4 months ago

hey, drops in the bucket. if I get enough, maybe I can get around to wanting to quit. so far, I haven't had enough reason as I remain bizarrely healthy.

bgamall profile image

bgamall  says:
4 months ago

Oh, well, you never know. I hope you can quit.

Iðunn profile image

Iðunn  says:
4 months ago

me too :)

alekhouse profile image

alekhouse  says:
4 months ago

BG, thanks for all the good info on this disease. I've had trouble with my eyes; had two iridotomies, one in each eye to prevent Glaucoma. My eyes are fine now, but I do worry about macular degeneration. I would hate to lose my eyesight, seeing that reading and writing is how I wish to spend most of my time.

 

bgamall profile image

bgamall  says:
4 months ago

I wish the best for you alekhouse. Always good to check for Glaucoma and you have done that!

ethel smith profile image

ethel smith  says:
4 months ago

I have heard of age relate MD but not about the lutein. Thanks

bgamall profile image

bgamall  says:
4 months ago

Hopefully this info will help both with cessation of smoking and with senior care.

Marisa Wright profile image

Marisa Wright  says:
4 months ago

My father had macular degeneration.  He was a heavy smoker but didn't have much incentive to quit, as he was otherwise very healthy until his sixties, when things suddenly started to go wrong - first a mild stroke, then emphysema, than his eyes started to go.

The link between MD and smoking is very well established now, although it can also be inherited.  I was shocked to come across a MD sufferers' site that was indignantly rejecting the smoking connection.  It sounded like "methinks thou does protest too much" - I couldn't help suspecting the site was run by MD sufferers who were also smokers, and they didn't want to admit the smoking connection because they couldn't give up!

Iðunn profile image

Iðunn  says:
4 months ago

I fall into that group I suspect. :p I do plan to quit, but mostly for the expense. On the other hand, I could get hit by a truck tomorrow, or ahem, spontaneously combust as some other hubber wished on me, so worrying about old age doesn't really have the 'push' to quit as it might others.

I really had rather hoped to die fairly young.

Marisa Wright profile image

Marisa Wright  says:
4 months ago

Iounn, as you get older, that hope will change!

I thought I would feel old and decrepit at 50 and wouldn't want to live past that age.  Well, at 50 I may have started to look old and decrepit, but I still felt about 25 inside.  Everybody does, it's just no one tells you that what it will feel like.  One never ages inside one's head, ever - unless you get Alzheimer's.

Iðunn profile image

Iðunn  says:
4 months ago

I'm 49. I still feel young, and oddly I still look fairly young, but I am also satisfied which is a weird way to think about death. I have what I wanted. I had children and raised them and they love me and I lived to see some grandchildren. I don't want anything else. I'm happy to live longer, if I do. But I'm not frightened of death at all and I'm ready for that whenever.

I've come to a very satisfied place in my life. My future is relatively limited and I've given up on true love. I don't really have much I care about except interacting with my children, grandchildren and friends and I'll enjoy that for as long as I'm alloted and not worry about the rest.

bgamall profile image

bgamall  says:
4 months ago

Lounn: You are not going to get hit by a truck probably, so quit! Lol. Yes Marissa it does seem odd that someone would contest the link between smoking and AMD.

Iðunn profile image

Iðunn  says:
4 months ago

what about slipping in the bath or getting struck by lightning? you never can tell. :p

bgamall profile image

bgamall  says:
4 months ago

We should all be so fortunate! Lol.

Iðunn profile image

Iðunn  says:
4 months ago

hehe, hey when I go I want it be fast, painless and unexpected. I'm opting for the lightning. :D

bgamall profile image

bgamall  says:
4 months ago

Too many people survive lightning strkes my dear. :)

Iðunn profile image

Iðunn  says:
4 months ago

probably my luck. :(

Sandyspider profile image

Sandyspider  says:
4 months ago

I've know non-smokers getting this type of disease. Maybe they were the exception. I suppose second hand smokers are more at risk.

bgamall profile image

bgamall  says:
4 months ago

Yeah Sandy, they may have been exposed to a lot of second hand smoke. Thanks for stoping by. Hey Sandy, you may get some hub ideas from Nellie. Just look up "buy dress online" at hubpage search and it can give you ideas for alot of hubs by using that format. I think hers is the first link after searching.

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