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Message |
MKearny@gmail.com
medicine forum beginner
Joined: 05 Jul 2006
Posts: 1
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 Posted: Wed Jul 05, 2006 12:04 am Post subject:
Smokers' blindness risk 'doubled'
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Hey guys, I've been a social smoker for about 7 years now, but maybe
it's time to quit.
It's not a recent article, but a friend of mine sent it to me, and
thought I'd share it.
"Smokers' blindness risk 'doubled'", BBC News, September 6, 2005,
Link: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/4217010.stm
Smokers are twice as likely as non-smokers to lose their sight in later
life, experts warn.
The link between age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and smoking is
now as robust as that between smoking and lung cancer, they say.
Yet many smokers are still unaware that their habit could cost them
their sight.
AMD Alliance UK and the Royal National Institute of the Blind are
calling for specific warnings on cigarette packets.
They would also like the government to fund an awareness campaign to
alert people to the dangers of smoking, as well as the introduction of
a complete ban on smoking in all enclosed public places across the UK.
AMD usually develops after a person reaches 50 years and affects the
central part of the retina of the eye.
It is the UK's leading cause of sight loss - there are around 500,000
people in the UK with AMD.
An estimated 54,000 people have the condition as a result of smoking.
Ignorance
Yet a report by AMD Alliance UK reveals that only 7% of people know
that AMD affects the eyes, based on a survey of 1,023 UK adults.
However, seven out of 10 smokers would either stop smoking permanently
(41%) or cut down (28%) if they thought it could harm their eyesight.
Studies have shown that people who stopped smoking 20 years ago have a
similar risk of developing AMD as non-smokers do and the risk starts to
decrease after 10 years of not smoking.
Steve Winyard, RNIB's head of campaigns and chairman of AMD Alliance
UK, said: "Smoking is the only proven cause of AMD that people can do
anything about, yet people are not aware of the link and most people
have not even heard of the condition.
"The message is simple: do not take up smoking and if you do - stop.
"People also need to make sure they have regular eye tests to check
their eyes are healthy - an eye test can save your sight."
Nick Astbury, president of the Royal College of Ophthalmologists, said:
"This is a chilling statistic but it's not too late to give up."
A spokeswoman from the Department of Health said "We know that for
people to change their behaviour we need to communicate the facts about
smoking, as well as provide support to help them quit."
She said there were campaigns raising the awareness of the health
dangers of smoking and passive smoking.
However, she said the public were less supportive of measures to make
all bars and pubs smoke free.
She said they were clamping down on tobacco advertising, but that
warnings on cigarette packets were determined by, and therefore a
matter for, the European Commission.
The British Medical Association said it supported the call for AMD
warnings on cigarette packs.
There are two types of AMD, wet and dry. Some 90% of cases are dry AMD,
which cannot be treated.
The remaining 10% are wet AMD, which can be treated. |
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Dr Judy
medicine forum Guru
Joined: 07 May 2005
Posts: 304
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| Posted: Wed Jul 05, 2006 3:48 am Post subject:
Re: Smokers' blindness risk 'doubled'
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MKearny@gmail.com wrote:
| Quote: | Hey guys, I've been a social smoker for about 7 years now, but maybe
it's time to quit.
It's not a recent article, but a friend of mine sent it to me, and
thought I'd share it.
"Smokers' blindness risk 'doubled'", BBC News, September 6, 2005,
Link: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/4217010.stm
Smokers are twice as likely as non-smokers to lose their sight in later
life, experts warn.
The link between age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and smoking is
now as robust as that between smoking and lung cancer, they say.
Yet many smokers are still unaware that their habit could cost them
their sight.
AMD Alliance UK and the Royal National Institute of the Blind are
calling for specific warnings on cigarette packets.
They would also like the government to fund an awareness campaign to
alert people to the dangers of smoking, as well as the introduction of
a complete ban on smoking in all enclosed public places across the UK.
AMD usually develops after a person reaches 50 years and affects the
central part of the retina of the eye.
It is the UK's leading cause of sight loss - there are around 500,000
people in the UK with AMD.
An estimated 54,000 people have the condition as a result of smoking.
Ignorance
Yet a report by AMD Alliance UK reveals that only 7% of people know
that AMD affects the eyes, based on a survey of 1,023 UK adults.
However, seven out of 10 smokers would either stop smoking permanently
(41%) or cut down (28%) if they thought it could harm their eyesight.
Studies have shown that people who stopped smoking 20 years ago have a
similar risk of developing AMD as non-smokers do and the risk starts to
decrease after 10 years of not smoking.
Steve Winyard, RNIB's head of campaigns and chairman of AMD Alliance
UK, said: "Smoking is the only proven cause of AMD that people can do
anything about, yet people are not aware of the link and most people
have not even heard of the condition.
"The message is simple: do not take up smoking and if you do - stop.
"People also need to make sure they have regular eye tests to check
their eyes are healthy - an eye test can save your sight."
Nick Astbury, president of the Royal College of Ophthalmologists, said:
"This is a chilling statistic but it's not too late to give up."
A spokeswoman from the Department of Health said "We know that for
people to change their behaviour we need to communicate the facts about
smoking, as well as provide support to help them quit."
She said there were campaigns raising the awareness of the health
dangers of smoking and passive smoking.
However, she said the public were less supportive of measures to make
all bars and pubs smoke free.
She said they were clamping down on tobacco advertising, but that
warnings on cigarette packets were determined by, and therefore a
matter for, the European Commission.
The British Medical Association said it supported the call for AMD
warnings on cigarette packs.
There are two types of AMD, wet and dry. Some 90% of cases are dry AMD,
which cannot be treated.
The remaining 10% are wet AMD, which can be treated.
|
Not only risk of AMD, but risk of cataract, glaucoma, venous or artery
occlusion and virtually all other eye diseases are increased with
smoking.
Here is Canada, we have had gruesome pictures and warnings like
"Smoking can kill you" on cig packages for years. Also TV ads
featuring non smokers dieing of diseases from second hand smoke. About
half of Canada's provinces have banned smoking in workplaces and all
public places including pubs, theatre and jails; the only places left
to smoke are in private homes and outdoors. (outdoors, smokers must
maintain a set distance away from doors to buildings). Doctors (health
care is free in Canada) will provide support like nicotine gum, patches
etc to those trying to quit and there are annual contests that quitting
smokers can enter to win money prizes.
Pubs etc complained bitterly when the laws came in, but found that
business actually increased as the non smokers started coming out. I
now found it tough to be in a pub, theatre or dining room in other
countries as the smell of smoke is so pervasive.
Net result: Just under 20% of adult Canadians now smoke (compared to
almost 50% 20 to 30 years ago) and only 7% of teens smoke. With so few
young smokers, we are well on the way to being smoke free.
Dr Judy |
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biscuit
medicine forum Guru Wannabe
Joined: 24 Apr 2005
Posts: 296
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| Posted: Wed Jul 05, 2006 10:37 am Post subject:
Re: Smokers' blindness risk 'doubled'
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"Dr Judy" <mpace99@rogers.com> wrote in message
news:1152071282.862978.212770@a14g2000cwb.googlegroups.com...
| Quote: | ...
Net result: Just under 20% of adult Canadians now smoke (compared to
almost 50% 20 to 30 years ago) and only 7% of teens smoke. With so few
young smokers, we are well on the way to being smoke free.
|
Lucky Canada. Here (Australia), the teen rate is a bit of a problem. There
was hope that mobile phone usage would counteract (ie, smoking and
mobile phone both compete for the same money, and even the same
pocket), but teens here aren't as sensible as they could be. The "cool"
factors still sucks them in.
T. |
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acemanvx@yahoo.com
medicine forum Guru
Joined: 15 Nov 2005
Posts: 732
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| Posted: Wed Jul 05, 2006 3:44 pm Post subject:
Re: Smokers' blindness risk 'doubled'
|
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MKearny@gmail.com wrote:
| Quote: | Hey guys, I've been a social smoker for about 7 years now, but maybe
it's time to quit.
It's not a recent article, but a friend of mine sent it to me, and
thought I'd share it.
"Smokers' blindness risk 'doubled'", BBC News, September 6, 2005,
Link: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/4217010.stm
Smokers are twice as likely as non-smokers to lose their sight in later
life, experts warn.
The link between age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and smoking is
now as robust as that between smoking and lung cancer, they say.
Yet many smokers are still unaware that their habit could cost them
their sight.
AMD Alliance UK and the Royal National Institute of the Blind are
calling for specific warnings on cigarette packets.
They would also like the government to fund an awareness campaign to
alert people to the dangers of smoking, as well as the introduction of
a complete ban on smoking in all enclosed public places across the UK.
AMD usually develops after a person reaches 50 years and affects the
central part of the retina of the eye.
It is the UK's leading cause of sight loss - there are around 500,000
people in the UK with AMD.
An estimated 54,000 people have the condition as a result of smoking.
Ignorance
Yet a report by AMD Alliance UK reveals that only 7% of people know
that AMD affects the eyes, based on a survey of 1,023 UK adults.
However, seven out of 10 smokers would either stop smoking permanently
(41%) or cut down (28%) if they thought it could harm their eyesight.
Studies have shown that people who stopped smoking 20 years ago have a
similar risk of developing AMD as non-smokers do and the risk starts to
decrease after 10 years of not smoking.
Steve Winyard, RNIB's head of campaigns and chairman of AMD Alliance
UK, said: "Smoking is the only proven cause of AMD that people can do
anything about, yet people are not aware of the link and most people
have not even heard of the condition.
"The message is simple: do not take up smoking and if you do - stop.
"People also need to make sure they have regular eye tests to check
their eyes are healthy - an eye test can save your sight."
Nick Astbury, president of the Royal College of Ophthalmologists, said:
"This is a chilling statistic but it's not too late to give up."
A spokeswoman from the Department of Health said "We know that for
people to change their behaviour we need to communicate the facts about
smoking, as well as provide support to help them quit."
She said there were campaigns raising the awareness of the health
dangers of smoking and passive smoking.
However, she said the public were less supportive of measures to make
all bars and pubs smoke free.
She said they were clamping down on tobacco advertising, but that
warnings on cigarette packets were determined by, and therefore a
matter for, the European Commission.
The British Medical Association said it supported the call for AMD
warnings on cigarette packs.
There are two types of AMD, wet and dry. Some 90% of cases are dry AMD,
which cannot be treated.
The remaining 10% are wet AMD, which can be treated.
|
Smoking harms you in 1001 other ways. Ive seen warning labels in
England "smoking kills!" "smoking causes fatal lung cancer" "Smoking
will make you impotent!" "your doctor will help you quit smoking" and
other strong warnings. I am thankful smoking has been banned in most
private places, second hand smoke is dangerous! |
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Quick
medicine forum Guru
Joined: 19 Jun 2005
Posts: 343
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| Posted: Wed Jul 05, 2006 7:25 pm Post subject:
Re: Smokers' blindness risk 'doubled'
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acemanvx@yahoo.com wrote:
| Quote: |
Smoking harms you in 1001 other ways. Ive seen warning
labels in England
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England? Did you actually get to England Ace?
Thanks for this late breaking medical alert though.
-Quick |
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Don W
medicine forum addict
Joined: 26 May 2005
Posts: 90
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| Posted: Sat Jul 08, 2006 7:58 pm Post subject:
Re: Smokers' blindness risk 'doubled'
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What is intersting to me, is that a few years back I watched a whole body
thermograph (fast response) taking the temperature of a person's hand as
they took a drag on the cigarette. The temperature dropped momentarily and
then restored itself. Nice way to modulate one's vascular system, I
thought.
Don W. |
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