Eye disorder doubles heart attack risk

London, Feb 28 (UNI) A defect in the eye can double the risk of death from a heart attack, researchers suggests.

People suffering from age-related macular degeneration (AMD) were at an higher risk of heart attack and stroke, the study said.

AMD, the leading cause of sight loss, destroys the central region of the retina, leading to progressive loss of sight.

Those aged under 75 and suffering early AMD had double the risk of dying from a heart attack within the next decade, according to the researchers at the University of Sydney.

The study, conducted on 3,654 people published in the British Journal of Ophthalmology, also found that some types of treatment for AMD, known as anti-VEGF drugs, could increase the risk of heart attack, the Daily Mail reported.

''Individuals with a high cardiovascular risk might potentially need to be monitored closely if receiving anti-VEGF therapy,'' the study suggested.

The Royal National Institute for Blind People said patients on these drugs were already monitored for heart disease risk.

UNI XC PD RK1145