Smoking and age-related macular degeneration.

A recent study demonstrated that a particular genetic susceptibility (LOC387715), combined with smoking, confers a significantly higher risk of AMD than either factor alone (Schmidt et al 2006). This is consistent with reports from family aggregation studies, which suggest that a first-degree relative of an individual with AMD is five times more likely to develop AMD than a family member of someone without the condition (Mullins 2007). Further research into the genetic component of AMD is underway. As the disease pathway becomes better understood, it may be possible to treat the disease in new ways (Mullins 2007).