Smoking and Eye Disease

Tobacco smoking is directly linked to many adverse health effects, including
high blood pressure, heart disease and cancer.  Smoking is also
linked to specific eye diseases.

HOW DOES SMOKING AFFECT THE EYES?

Smoking can cause a lot of damage to the eyes in certain patients. It can
cause cataracts, Dry ARMD, optic nerve damage, retinopathy and dry
eye syndrome.

People who smoke cigarettes are at increased risk for developing cataracts,
a clouding of the naturally clear lens of the eye. Cataracts cause a
variety of vision problems, including blurry distance vision,
sensitivity to glare, loss of contrast and difficulty seeing colors.
When glasses or magnifiers are no longer helpful for someone with
cataracts, or when cataracts develop in both eyes, surgery is the
only option.
http://www.solinskyeyecare.com/services/custom-cataract-surgery/

Tobacco smoking is also one of the preventable risk factors for age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Studies have shown that current smokers and
ex-smokers are more likely to develop AMD than people who have never
smoked. AMD has two forms: dry (called atrophic or non-neovascular)
AMD and wet (called exudative or neovascular) AMD. In dry AMD, your
retina gradually thins. There is no proven cure for this type of
degenerative disease. In wet AMD, new blood vessels grow in the
retina, leaking blood or fluid and damaging the macula, the part of
the retina responsible for your central vision.  The two types of
treatment currently available for specific forms of wet AMD are
standard laser surgery and photodynamic therapy, both of which may
stabilize the disease.

In people with high blood-sugar levels, some studies suggest that
smoking may be linked to diabetic retinopathy, or damage to the blood
vessels in the retina.

The optic nerve is also susceptible to damage from smoking. People with
poor diets who smoke heavily and drink excessive amounts of alcohol
run the risk of developing optic nerve-related vision loss (called
tobacco-alcohol amblyopia). Certain optic nerve problems run in
families (called Leber’s hereditary optic neuropathy). People with
this condition who smoke have increased risk of vision loss. In some
patients with thyroid disease (called Graves’ disease) who also
have eye involvement, smoking can cause the eyes to become worse,
with vision loss possible.

People who do not produce enough tears to keep their eyes comfortably
lubricated have a condition called dry eye syndrome. For these people, smoking
is a significant irritant, worsening the symptoms of scratchiness,
stinging or burning of the eyes, and excess tearing from irritation.

HOW DOES SMOKING AFFECT FETAL/INFANT EYE HEALTH?

Studies have also shown a strong association between smoking during pregnancy
and the risk of invasive meningitis during early childhood. The risk
of bacterial meningitis is five times higher among children whose
mothers smoked during pregnancy. In addition to other severe health
problems, childhood meningitis can cause inflammation of the cornea
and pink eye. Smoking during pregnancy is also associated with low
birth weight and premature birth. And finally, oxygen therapy given
to sustain the lives of premature infants can cause retinopathy of
prematurity, causing permanent vision loss or blindness.

THERE ARE RESOURCES TO HELP YOU QUIT SMOKING.

There are numerous community organizations committed to helping people quit
smoking. The American Lung Association offers smoking cessation
classes around the U.S. Contact the American Lung Association at
1-800-LUNGUSA or online at www.lung.org/stop-smoking/ to find the
chapter near you. Better yet, talk to your primary care physician and
work on a plan together!

We encourage everyone, especially smokers to make an appointment for an
eye exam today. 860-233-2020. www.solinskyeyecare.com