Kuan V, Warwick A, Hingorani A, et al. - Results from this study lend support to a potential causal association of alcohol intake with an elevated risk of geographic atrophy, smoking initiation and lifetime smoking with an elevated risk of advanced age-related macular degeneration (AMD), and smoking cessation with a reduced risk of advanced AMD.

• In this Mendelian randomization study, it was inquired if smoking, alcohol intake, blood pressure, body mass index, and glycemic traits were related to elevated risk of advanced AMD.

• A higher risk of advanced AMD (odds ratio [OR], 1.26) was observed in relation to a 1-SD increase in logodds of genetically predicted smoking initiation.

• A lower risk of advanced AMD (OR, 0.66) was noted in relation to a 1-SD increase in logodds of genetically predicted smoking cessation (former vs current smoking).

• Elevated risk of advanced AMD was evident in relation to genetically predicted increased lifetime smoking.

• Genetically predicted alcohol intake was found to be linked with higher risk of geographic atrophy (OR per 1-SD increase of log-transformed alcoholic drinks per week, 2.70).