Nearly 4,000 chemicals are introduced into your bloodstream when you smoke cigarettes. These chemicals have been found to cause damage to your eyes, particularly your macula. The chemicals can cause the tiny blood vessels in your eyes to burst through the macula, causing your macula cells to die slowly. This damage can ultimately cause vision loss.
Macular Degeneration
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the number one cause of vision loss and blindness among Americans ages 65 and older. AMD is degeneration of your macula, the part of your retina responsible for the sharp, central vision necessary for tasks such as reading and driving.
Smoking is the number one “modifiable” risk factor for macular degeneration. One British study, published in the British Journal of Ophthalmology in early 2006, found that smoking was directly associated with about 25 percent of AMD cases resulting in severe vision loss. The study also concluded that if you live with a smoker, your chance of developing AMD is doubled.
Aside from the increased risk of macular degeneration, current and even ex-smokers are not able to take vitamins that contain beta carotene because of the increased risk of developing lung cancer. In a study conducted by the National Institutes of Health, beta carotene vitamin supplements were shown to help slow the development of AMD.
Cataracts
A cataract is the clouding of your eye’s natural lens that results in blurry vision. Cigarette smoke has been proven to be a definite risk factor for developing cataracts. It is also dose related; the more you smoke and the longer your duration of smoking, the greater your risk is for developing cataracts.
Evidence reveals that heavy smokers (who smoke 15 cigarettes or more per day) have up to three times the risk of developing a cataract than those who do not smoke. Cigarette smoke is believed to increase the risk of cataracts by increasing oxidative stress in your eye’s natural lens. Oxidative stress can be caused by free radicals produced by reactions in tobacco smoke. These free radicals may directly damage lens proteins and the fiber cell membrane in the lens. The result is a loss of transparency in your eye’s lens, which produces the feeling of looking through a misty glass or from behind a waterfall.
Pterygium
A pterygium is a wedge-shaped piece of abnormal tissue that grows out of your cornea. Surgical removal of this growth takes less than 30 minutes and may be recommended if the pterygium:
- Stretches far enough onto your cornea to impair your vision
- Causes chronic inflammation and/or irritation
- Interferes with contact lens wear
Most ophthalmologists recommend having a pterygium removed before undergoing cataract surgery. However, this will depend on the severity of your growth, and how bad your cataracts are. Therefore, the ultimate decision will vary by patient.