Smoking can cause serious damage to the organs in our body including our eyes. Smoking can cause long term damaging effects to the health of our eyes and increase the likelihood of vision loss.
Studies show that smoking can increase the risk of several eye diseases including:
DRY EYE SYNDROME: Tobacco can increase the evaporation of your natural tears from the eye’s surface. This leads to discomfort, and dry eyes, which can be worsened with contact lens wear. The chemicals found in tobacco can cause cell damage leading to increased eye infections. 1
AGE-RELATED MACULAR DEGENERATION (AMD): Is a loss of central vision usually due to age. Smoking can significantly increase your risk. 1
DIABETIC RETINOPATHY: Smoking can increase risk of bleeding in the back of your eye that can lead to vision loss or blindness. 1
CATARACTS: Smoking can increase your risk of developing cataracts by accelerating the clouding that develops in the lens of your eye. 1
A routine eye exam with your optometrist can help detect any signs of these diseases. Book your appointment today with one of our Hamilton optometrists to check the health of your eyes.
Call or text 289-309-1090 to book your appointment today!
Perception Eyecare proudly serves the Hamilton area including Stoney creek, Binbrook, Ancaster, Grimsby, Caledonia, Mount Hope, Oakville, Burlington and Smithville.
REFERENCES
1. https://opto.ca/health-library/Smoking-and-Your-Eyes. (2021). Eye Health Library [online] Available at: https://opto.ca/health-library/Smoking-and-Your-Eyes.
