Does smoking cause vision loss?
Smoking tobacco (cigarettes, cigars, pipes) introduces about 5,000 chemicals into the body. It is a well-known fact that smoking tobacco causes many serious health problems, death, and disability. The harm caused is extensive and includes cancer, heart disease, stroke, lung diseases, diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), emphysema, and chronic bronchitis.
But did you know that smoking can also harm your eyes?
Smoking damages parts of the eye that are necessary for maintaining clear vision and eyesight. The damage can cause cloudy vision, reduce the field of vision, or cause complete vision loss.
How does smoking affect your eyes?
Heavy smoking causes extensive damage to the eyes and increases the risk of developing and/or exacerbating eye diseases, including age-related macular degeneration (AMD), cataracts, diabetic retinopathy, uveitis, and dry eye.
Two of the greatest threats to the eye are:
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD)
AMD is an eye disease that causes permanent damage to the macula, the center part of the retina, causing a loss of central vision and the ability to see fine details. This significantly impacts reading, driving, viewing computer and television screens, facial recognition, and many other regular activities.
Studies have shown that smokers and ex-smokers are more likely to get AMD than those who never smoked. Smoking can increase the risk of developing AMD by up to 4 times.
Smoking increases the risk of AMD by constricting retinal blood vessels. Research also suggests that smokers have lower levels of macular pigments like lutein and zeaxanthin. Both are responsible for protecting the macula from ultraviolet (UV) radiation, another risk factor for AMD.
Cataract
Cataract formation is a natural consequence of aging for many people. A cataract is a clouding or yellowing of the eye lens that negatively impacts sight by causing blurred vision and light sensitivity. This can cause difficulty with nighttime driving.
Smoking can double your risk of cataracts at an earlier age.
Smoking increases the number of highly reactive, unstable free radicals. Free radicals damage fat and protein which cause deposits to form on the eye’s lens and lead to the development of cataracts.
Antioxidants consumed in the diet can help to neutralize free radicals but smoking decreases the level of antioxidants which increases the number of free radicals.
Without cataract surgery for removal, vision will progressively worsen.
Smoking also causes an increased risk of the following eye conditions:
Diabetic retinopathy
Diabetic retinopathy is the leading cause of blindness and vision impairment in diabetic adults, according to the National Eye Institute. Smoking increases the risk of developing diabetes and may speed the progression of diabetic retinopathy.
Insulin is responsible for blood sugar entering the cells. Nicotine alters the cells so they don’t respond to insulin, which increases blood sugar levels. There are also many other chemicals in cigarettes that damage cells and cause insulin resistance.
People who smoke have a higher risk of belly fat, which increases the risk for type 2 diabetes, even if they aren’t overweight.
Overall, smokers are 30% to 40% more likely to get type 2 diabetes than those who don’t smoke.
Diabetes damages the tiny blood vessels found in the retina, causing leakage of blood and fluid into the eye.
Uveitis
The uvea is the middle layer of the eye and consists of the iris, ciliary body, and choroid. Uveitis occurs when the uvea becomes inflamed, causing redness, pain, and blurry vision.
Smoking more than doubles your risk of developing uveitis.
The inflammation causes damage to the retina and iris and may lead to cataracts, glaucoma, and retinal detachment
Dry eye problems
Exposure to cigarette smoke can cause eye irritation and dryness. While dry eye does not cause permanent damage, it can be uncomfortable and make it difficult to wear contact lenses. Smokers are twice as likely to have dry eyes.
The professional eye doctors at Assil Gaur Eye Institute offer state-of-the-art treatments for all eye conditions including glaucoma, macular disease, dry eye, and diabetic eye conditions
More research is needed to find out whether smoking tobacco plays a role in exacerbating vision problems associated with Graves’ disease, a thyroid condition, and optic nerve conditions like glaucoma.
Does smoking affect color vision?
Eyesight takes place in the eyes, while vision takes place in the brain. The eyes pick up the image, and the brain processes and analyzes the image. The brain filters the information delivered by the eyes.
Color vision, a feature of visual perception, is the ability to perceive differences in the wavelengths on the visual spectrum. The different wavelengths are represented by the colors we can see.
According to researchers at Rutgers University, some problems with color vision may also be a consequence of smoking. The study detailed how smoking affected blue-yellow and red-green vision and demonstrated the difficulty heavy smokers had when trying to distinguish between certain colors and contrasts. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention noted that smokers are twice as likely to develop this problem as non-smokers.
This study consistently replicated and extended previous findings. The results demonstrate that excessive use of cigarettes and chronic exposure to their chemicals affect visual discrimination.
The research furthers the understanding of the detrimental effect chronic smoking has on color vision. This study suggests that smoking damages the blood vessels and neurons in the retina of the eye.
Does secondhand smoke cause eye problems in children?
Secondhand smoke is a serious public health concern in adults. It affects the choroid of the eye. The choroid is a dense network of blood vessels found at the back of the eye and is responsible for supplying the retina with oxygen and nutrition.
To find out if children exposed to secondhand smoke showed similar damage, researchers at the Chinese University of Hong Kong Eye Centre developed a study with child subjects.
An article published by the American Academy of Ophthalmology reviewed the research data from the study. The research found choroidal thinning in children increased with the number of family members who smoked, and with the number of cigarettes smoked per day. The study also showed that children who were around smoke had significantly more choroid thinning than children who were not exposed.
The long-term implication of these changes on a child’s future eye health remains to be determined. This study shows the potential role of early smoke exposure in chronic diseases that occur in later life.
Does vaping affect the eyes? Is it a safer alternative?
E-cigarettes (vapes) deliver an aerosolized liquid composed of nicotine, flavoring, and other chemicals but not tobacco. Users inhale and exhale this vapor-like aerosol through battery-operated devices that come in many forms.
E-cigarettes are often marketed as a healthier alternative to traditional cigarettes. The latest evidence undermines these claims. Persons who vape showed moderate-to-severe symptomatic dry eye and poorer tear film quality compared with nonsmokers.
A 2021 study by the University of California found that current vapers were 34% more likely to suffer from visual impairments compared to those who had never tried it. Former vapers were 14% more likely. While the statistical correlation doesn’t definitively prove vaping causes visual impairment it does parallel earlier studies linking smoking tobacco to eye problems.
Further investigation of ocular surface health is needed for a deeper understanding of the effect of e-cigarettes on the eyes.
Routine eye exams at Assil Gaur Eye Institute of Los Angeles are important for optimal eye health and overall health care. If you smoke, regular eye examinations are a must.
Choose Assil Gaur Eye Institute of Los Angeles for improved eye health
Los Angeles’ leading LASIK, cataract, and retinal surgeons are available to you, all in one practice. State-of-the-art treatments for all eye conditions including glaucoma, macular disease, dry eye, and diabetic eye conditions, to name just a few.
Assil Gaur Eye Institute remains laser-focused on our founding mission of providing exceptional health care in a compassionate and caring environment. We continue to be driven to advance the field of ophthalmology and give back to our community every day.
To set up an appointment with our office, make an appointment online or call 866-945-2745.
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