New York, July 13 (IANS) Smoking increases the risk of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a disease that causes blindness and visual impairment for people over 60, says a study.

Medical research has earlier found that smoking is a major contributing factor to many health problems, especially lung cancer, emphysema, cardiovascular disease and other disorders.

A study led by Johanna M. Seddon, director of the epidemiology unit, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary in the US, studied 681 male twins and sought answers on their eating habits and whether or not they smoked.

According to the health portal Medical News Today, the scientists also studied other risk factors such as any prior diagnosis of AMD.

The researchers found that people, particularly male smokers, may have a significantly higher risk of developing age-related macular degeneration later in life than a person who does not smoke.

As the human population in most of the world is getting older, the prevalence of this blinding disease is expected to rise, said Seddon.