Eye Disease and Smoking:
Smoking has long been known to cause heart disease and lung cancer; however many people don't realize that smoking can lead to vision loss. Studies show smoking increases the risk of age-related macular degeneration, cataracts, glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy and Dry Eye Syndrome.
- Age Related Macular Degeneration (AMD)
- One way to reduce the risk of developing AMD is by NOT smoking. Smokers are three to four times more likely to develop AMD than nonsmokers. Nonsmokers living with smokers almost double their risk of developing AMD.
- Cataract
- Heavy smokers (15 cigarettes/day or more) have up to three times the risk of cataract as nonsmokers.
- Glaucoma
- There is a strong link between smoking and high blood pressure, cataracts and diabetes all of which are risk factors for glaucoma.
- Diabetic Retinopathy
- Smoking can increase your chances of getting diabetes. It can also make managing diabetes more difficult for those who already have it. Complications of diabetes made worse by smoking include retinopathy, heart disease, stroke, vascular disease, kidney disease, nerve damage, foot problems and many others.
- Dry Eye Syndrome
- Dry Eye Syndrome is more than twice as likely to impact smokers as non-smokers
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