World No Tobacco Day

World No Tobacco Day is celebrated around the world every year on 31 May. It was created in 1987 by the World Health Organization to draw global attention to the tobacco epidemic and the preventable death and diseases it causes.

The effect of cigarettes and tobacco on health are widely known thus smoking has a big impact on ocular health.

Cataract:

“Smoking can double your risk of developing cataracts at an earlier age.”

Cataracts are one of the leading causes of vision loss. Cataracts develop when the crystalline lens becomes cloudy, causing blurred vision, light sensitivity, and difficulty driving at night.

Uveitis

“Smoking more than doubles your risk of developing uveitis.”

In a matter of fact, smokers were 2.2 times more likely to have uveitis than those who don’t.

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD)

“Smoking can increase your risk of developing AMD by up to 4 times.”

Smoking causes your retinal blood vessels to constrict, which can increase your blood pressure and your risk of permanent vision loss from both the wet and dry forms of AMD.

Research also suggests that people who smoke have lower levels of the macular pigments lutein and zeaxanthin, which are responsible for protecting the macula from ultraviolet (UV) radiation— another risk factor for AMD.

Dry eyes:

“Smoking and exposure to secondhand smoke      double your risk of developing dry eye syndrome.”

Studies have shown the effect of smoking on the alteration of the quality of tears and diminishing the Break-up time.

Furthermore, smoking has also an effect on the tissues surrounding the eyes, it’s a favorable factor for developing Blepharitis and meibomitis.

We as eye care practitioners and optometrists have a crucial role in educating our patients to prevent any infection leading to loss of vision.

Maria Adra, Owner of Adra Eye Care, Optometrist. She worked in refractive surgery for 10 years, Contact Lens Fitting, and Activist in spreading awareness about ocular health and general knowledge.