Smoking is dangerous for the eyesight

„My research is on epidemiology of ophthalmic diseases in the elderly and is called Augnrannsókn Reykjavíkur (The Reykjavík Eye Research). We mostly study the ubiquity, incidence and risk factors for these diseases and analyze what preventive measures are likely to help,” says Professor Friðbert Jónasson, who has received numerous awards for his work in ophthalmology. Jónasson completed his studies in epidemiology from the University of Edinburgh in 1977 and has had a keen interest in the field ever since. The big Reykjavík project is a collaborative venture with Japanese scientists and mainly funded from Japan.

When Jónasson talks about the research he immediately focuses on the methodology and says that a random sample from the National Directory was used for people 50 years and older; first in 1996 „but then the participants were examined again in 2001 and 2008. The main diseases are macular degeneration, glaucoma, a cloud on the crystalline lens, vision defects, and problems in eye operation.

Jónasson is a pioneer in his research but says that some things that have previously been discovered elsewhere have been confirmed in the Reykjavík Project. Other novel results have consequently been confirmed in independent foreign research. “During the research we for example discovered. that smoking has severe impact and multiplies the risk of bleeding macular degeneration and clouds on the crystalline lens; and we were the first to discover that smoking also damages the cornea that can lead to opaqueness causing blindness. This has now been confirmed in international research. We also discovered that the sun’s ultraviolet rays increase the odds of a clouds forming on the crystalline lens. Those working outside who do not use glasses or sunglasses are thus in danger of a cloud forming on their crystalline lens. Furthermore, we were among the first in the world to discover that a thin cornea increases the risk of glaucoma damage considerably but our results, as well as others, are useful for ophthalmologists who treat glaucoma patients worldwide,” says Jónasson. “We have, in collaboration with domestic and international scientists recently found genetic components linked to these changes.”

A foundation for various important genetic research has been laid with the Reykjavík Eye Research which has, not surprisingly, received global attention as close to forty international science articles have been published in connection with this major project; many in the most prestigious science journals in the field of ophthalmology in the world. Jónasson says that even more articles are in the pipes as a great deal of data was gathered in the research, “… and we are still processing this data.”