Most people are not aware of this fact or choose to ignore it but smoking can be very damaging to your eyes. The chemicals from cigarettes can cause inflammation of the conjunctiva, causing your eyes to be irritated, and turning red. Studies have indicated that a correlation between smoking and a development of cataracts. Smoking is also found to be related to eye diseases such as age-related macular degeneration. Although the causes are not understood fully, most researchers believe that smoking is a preventable factor. Evidence have found that approximately a quarter of cases of the disease is also link to past or current smoking habits. Smoking can also cause the constriction of blood vessels which related to the rising inner eye pressure or intraocular pressure can lead to glaucoma causing optic nerve damage. Another study also showed a strong correlation between smoking and poor nutrition to optic nerve damage. The most common smoking related damage to the eye is age related macular degeneration, which is the severe permanent loss of central vision. Smoking is also associated to other diseases such as nuclear cataract and thyroid eye disease. The chemicals from cigarettes that you smoke travels to your entire body through your bloodstream. These chemicals can damage to the macula which is the most sensitive part of your retina. There is a possibility of tiny blood vessels which can burst through the macula causing permanent damage, or may also cause the cells of macula to slowly die leading to the loss of vision and eyesight. When this happens the damage is permanent even laser treatment cannot cure this because the macula is very sensitive part of your retina. There is a new treatment called photodynamic therapy (PDT) which may reduce the damage of vision loss, but most of the people with macular degeneration will not be able to be treated. By not smoking, you will reduce your chances and risk of getting this disease. Bear in mind that the eye is very sensitive and once it is damaged, the damage is irreversible. |
