EPIDEMIOLOGY Further Observations on the Association Between Smoking and the Long-term Incidence and Progression of Age-related Macular Degeneration

ing and the 15-year cumulative incidence of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Methods: Population-based longitudinal cohort study of people in Beaver Dam, Wisconsin, who were aged 43 to 84 years (N=4926) in 1987-1988. Participants were examined in 1988-1990 and were reexamined at 5-year intervals during a 15-year period. Age-related macular degeneration status was determined by grading stereo-scopic color fundus photographs. Results:Controlling for age, sex, and baseline AMD se-verity, peoplewhowere current smokers at baseline, com-pared with those who never smoked, were at increased risk of incident early AMD (odds ratio, 1.47; 95 % con-fidence interval, 1.08-1.99; P=.01) and for progression of AMD (odds ratio, 1.43; 95 % confidence interval, 1.05