Home > Health Tips > How Does Smoking Effect Eyes?
Posted on February 7, 2009 in Health Tips
Smoking is not good for health. It affects health in many ways. It can lead to strokes, heart disease, cancer. Anti- smoking campaigners are trying their best to prevent smoking. Respective Governments are also smoking efforts to help get over the habit.
Smoking is also bad for the eyes. It damages the functioning of the eye and can result in blindness. In what way does smoking affect the eyes?
Effect of Smoking on Eyes
- Smoking causes inflammation of conjuctiva ( the thin membrane covering the eye). Thus results in bloodshot eyes and also irritated eyes.
- There is a direct link between cataract and smoking. Smokers are at risk of developing cataract.
- Smoking is also linked to the eye disease referred to as macular degeneration. Macular degeneration is caused by cardiovascular disease and is a major cause of blindness in the West. Smoking causes cardiovascular disease.
- One needs to quit smoking to avoid the progress of diabetic retinopathy.
- An epidemic of optic nerve damage has been recorded among Cubans during 1992-93 due to poor nutrition as well as smoking.
- Blood vessels shrink or get constricted due to smoking causing glaucoma as well as optic nerve damage.
- Chemicals get into the blood stream and burst through the macula( central part of the retina) or the cells in the macula die slowly. It eventually leads to loss of vision.
Getting rid of the smoking habit is the best way to protect one’s eyes. It is difficult to do so, but after all who wants to go blind.
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