Smoking was advertised as having too many benefits during the early and mid-20th century but now many of us are aware that it poses severe health risks and a lot of smokers develop a number of conditions, even eye related ones for which they are often prescribed an eye medications list, as well as other forms of treatment.

There is mass awareness regarding the risks of lung cancer, cardiac conditions, etc. that smoking brings to the table but many people don’t even realize the plethora of ways in which it can damage vision. If the situation is not curtailed it can also lead towards blindness. Anyone who is considering quitting smoking or trying to cut down is faced with a hard decision because this habit can be really sticky but these risk factors with regards to vision may be the extra push required to carry on with this prudent choice.

A host of eye problems that are related to smoking

People who smoke are at an increased risk for losing their eyesight compared to the ones who don’t, statistically speaking. It can instigate and result in the worsening of several eye problems, while some of these problems can cause them to permanently lose their sense of vision. Tobacco smoke contains a number of harmful particles that can irritate the conjunctiva. A healthy blood flow is necessary for the eyes to retain normal vision but different constituents in the smoke can make the ciliary arteries extremely narrow thereby reducing the flow of blood. Atherosclerosis is also induced by carbon monoxide and nicotine, while lipid homeostasis is disturbed resulting in the blood vessels being clogged by fatty deposits.

Smoking is also known to cause blood clotting by increasing platelet aggregation and in case this leads to impact the carotid vasculature related to ophthalmic branch it can result in ocular ischemic episodes. Another risk is the development of cataracts because tobacco smoke often contains heavy metals like copper, lead and cadmium which accumulate in the natural lens. It also paves way for other types of damage, like to the retina, because of oxidation as the free radicals contained in the smoke decrease the amount of antioxidants present.

Quitting smoking may be hard but it is definitely the right choice

Most of the eye conditions caused by smoke cannot simply be treated using OTC eye drops or medicines and one cannot even go on using such short term remedies indefinitely. A better solution that comes with long term benefits is to quit smoking instead and have regular eye exams to make sure any symptoms are diagnosed early and treated immediately. Research shows that smoking increases the risk of developing an array of eye conditions compared to the people who do not smoke. The risk for AMD or Age-related macular degeneration is increased 2-3 times for smokers and seems to be related to the number of cigarettes a person smokes regularly. The macula is the part of the eye that allows it to clearly make out details and if its function is hampered it can result in the vision getting dark around the middle or general blurriness. This is exactly what happens in AMD as smoking results in a cessation of its healthy function.

The conditions are also related to your daily dose

Another eye problem that is dose related and gets worse if a person smokes more cigarettes on a daily basis is Graves’ disease. In this disease an excess of thyroid hormone is produced by the thyroid gland causing issues for the eyes along with other organs within the body. When the hormone is being overproduced it can cause the eyes to bulge, interfere with the eye muscles or lead to double vision. Sometimes it can also cause visual impairment that is permanent.

If you smoke a pack of 20 cigarettes daily you are twice more likely to develop cataracts that are related to aging. Many people develop cataracts as they age to some level as the lens of their eyes lose transparency or become thicker slowly over time. They are usually removed surgically but still there can still be a loss of sight and other risks involved, as in any other surgical procedure. The buildup of heavy metals contained in the smoke is considered to be responsible for hastening the development of a cataract.

The eyes get their blood supply from the blood vessels but absolutely basic and integral biological function can also be affected due to smoking as it can cause them to get blocked, either partially or completely. When this happens it can have dire consequences like a complete loss of eyesight and this condition is referred to as optic neuropathy. It can cause blindness that is irreversible and has been noted to be sixteen times more common among smokers, while they tend to develop it at a much younger age compared to non-smokers.