title: [Obesity is a risk factor for eye diseases].
abstract: Obesity is the most prevalent metabolic disease in developed countries and its prevalence rates worldwide are increasing rapidly. The disease is associated with a considerably enhanced morbidity in many body systems as well as mortality. This article reviews the effects of obesity on the four major blinding eye diseases: age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, cataract and glaucoma, and shows that obesity is a significant risk factor for these diseases and hence to blindness.
authors.affiliation: Goldschleger Eye Institute, Sheba Medical Center, Tel Aviv University, Tel Hashomer, Israel. zwilner@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Zohar
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Habot-Wilner
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Belkin
mesh_terms: D001766:Blindness / Q000453:epidemiology; D005128:Eye Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications*; D012307:Risk Factors