Pesticide Use and Age-Related Macular Degeneration in the Agricultural Health Study.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a leading cause of blindness in developed countries. Few studies have investigated its relationship to environmental neurotoxicants. In previous cross-sectional studies, we found an association between pesticide use and self-reported retinal degeneration.

Objective

We evaluated the association of pesticide use with physician-confirmed incident AMD.

Methods

The Agricultural Health Study (AHS) is a prospective cohort of pesticide applicators and their spouses enrolled from 1993-1997 in Iowa and North Carolina. Cohort members reported lifetime use of 50 specific pesticides at enrollment. Self-reports of incident AMD during follow-up through 2007 were confirmed by reports from participants' physicians and by independent

SUBMITTER: Montgomery MP 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5744702 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature