Smoking harms nearly every system in your body — including your eyes.

Though we are all aware of the health effects associated with smoking, such as lung cancer, heart disease, and bad teeth, few know about the negative impact it can have on our vision.

Smoking and Eye Disease

Smoking, especially 20 cigarettes or more daily over a long period of time, can adversely impact your vision. Cigarette smoke is made up of compounds that can damage health and have been shown to cause cerebral lesions which affect the area of the brain that processes vision.

More specifically, tobacco addiction increases the risk of developing vision-robbing diseases such as macular degeneration (AMD), cataracts, glaucoma, and diabetic retinopathy. Moreover, smoke is an irritant that can cause or exacerbate dry eye syndrome.

Age-Related Macular Degeneration

Smokers run a high risk of developing AMD, a condition that severely impairs central vision, making it difficult or impossible to read, drive, recognize faces and colors. Fortunately, the risk can be dramatically diminished by putting an end to tobacco smoking — even if later in life.

Cataracts

Heavy smokers double their risk of developing cataracts, the leading cause of blindness. Cataracts are characterized by clouded, blurred or double vision, photophobia, and reduced night vision. However, cataract surgery is common and replaces the clouded lens with an artificial intraocular lens.

Uveitis

Uveitis, the inflammation of the eye's central layer, is an ocular disease that can lead to blindness. Smokers have a 2.2 times higher risk of developing uveitis than non-smokers.

Diabetic Retinopathy

Smoking raises one's risk of developing diabetes by up to 40 percent thereby increasing the risk of retinopathy as well. Diabetes damages the blood vessels in the retina, causing them to leak blood into the eye, which — in severe cases — can deprive the retina of oxygen and result in blindness.

Dry Eyes

Dry eye syndrome is a common eye condition characterized by insufficient tears to keep your eye lubricated. Common symptoms include red, itchy, and gritty eyes. Heavy smokers, and those exposed to secondhand smoke, not only double their risk of developing dry eye but also exacerbate an existing condition.

Stop Smoking to Save Your Vision

The good news is that giving up smoking can have an immediate effect on your health — and it's never too late to quit! The team at Optique Family Vision Care in Springfield cares about your health and will be happy to provide any assistance or resources to help you quit smoking and improve your eye health.