Smoking affects eyesight

In people who use tobacco, nicotine (a highly addictive substance found in tobacco) is found in all organs, body parts and even in breast milk. Formaldehyde - a solution used in embalming is also found in cigarette smoke. This substance irritates the nose, throat and especially the eyes of smokers when they inhale cigarette smoke.

Cigarettes in general (including cigarettes, pipes, pipe tobacco or cigars) contain up to 4000 different extremely toxic active ingredients such as tar, formaldehyde compounds, carbon monoxide and many heavy metals... Experts confirm that cigarettes are directly related to the two leading causes of blindness: cataracts and macular degeneration. In addition, a number of other eye diseases can also be triggered or increased in severity due to tobacco use such as dry eyes, conjunctivitis and chronic blepharitis, existing diabetic retinopathy, existing uveitis, complications of Graves' disease...

Dr. Duong Thi Tu, Head of the Department of Population - Communication and Health Education, Cai Nuoc Regional Medical Center, said: Cataract (a condition in which the lens becomes cloudy) is one of the leading causes of blindness. Smoking reduces the oxygen concentration in the lens, causing it to gradually lose its natural transparency and become opaque. In addition, the highly toxic heavy metal cadmium in cigarettes and cigarette smoke tends to accumulate in the lens nucleus, contributing to accelerating the disease process. According to statistics, compared to non-smokers, the risk of cataracts is twice as high in smokers and three times higher in heavy smokers. The more cigarettes smoked, the higher the risk of cataracts.

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a loss of central vision, also known as the macula, due to damage to the retina in people over 50. Smokers are 2-4 times more likely to develop the condition than non-smokers. Although peripheral vision is still good enough to allow normal daily activities, activities such as driving and reading are affected. Toxins in cigarettes reduce blood flow to retinal tissues, creating conditions for wet macular degeneration. Smokers are 3 times more likely to develop macular degeneration than people who have never smoked. This is one of the main causes of blindness in many people over 50.

For other diseases, cigarette smoke is hot and dry and contains toxins that irritate the conjunctiva, blepharitis or increase tear evaporation leading to dry eyes if exposed frequently. By reducing blood flow to nerve tissue, smoking causes optic nerve ischemia and increases the danger of diabetic retinopathy in patients. Smoking can double the risk of diabetes. Smoking also increases the risk of diabetic complications, including diabetic retinopathy. Smokers are four times more likely to go blind in old age than non-smokers.

Cigarette smoke is an eye irritant and can make dry eyes worse, even in passive smokers (those who breathe in the smoke from others rather than actually smoking). Dry eyes occur when tears cannot adequately lubricate the eyes. People with dry eyes often experience burning, stinging, redness, and itching. Smokers are twice as likely to develop dry eyes as nonsmokers.

In addition, smoking during pregnancy also increases the risk of many eye disorders in the fetus and newborn. If the mother smokes, it can cause the child to have strabismus and poor optic nerve development. This is one of the leading causes of blindness in children. Women who smoke during pregnancy tend to give birth prematurely. Compared to full-term babies, premature babies are more likely to have retinal diseases or other eye diseases, the most serious complications of which can lead to blindness, Dr. Tu informed.

Source: https://soyte.camau.gov.vn/bai-khoa-hoc-chinh-tri-va-xa-hoi/thuoc-la-anh-huong-den-thi-luc-288482