Tobacco, a trigger for eye diseases
Smoking increases the risk of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and cataracts.
Although tobacco consumption has gradually decreased in recent decades, one in four people in Spain still smokes daily. Tobacco affects virtually every organ in the body, and the eyes are no exception.
Among the many substances found in tobacco, our specialists highlight carbon monoxide and nicotine as particularly harmful to the eyes. Carbon monoxide reduces the ability to transport oxygen to the eyes, weakening ocular tissues, while nicotine constricts the eye’s blood vessels, increasing the risk of developing serious vision problems
Dr. Mariano Rodríguez, a retinal specialist at Miranza in Cádiz and Jerez, warns that “the habit of smoking can lead to the development, progression, and severity of various eye diseases, so the best advice for protecting the eye health of smokers is to avoid or, ideally, quit this habit altogether”.
In addition, tobacco use also contributes to premature skin aging by affecting the production of collagen and elastin. Dr. Constanza Barrancos, an oculoplastic and aesthetic eye specialist at Miranza IOAMadrid, explains that “this decrease in essential skin components leads to the formation of wrinkles and sagging in the eyelid area, which, in more severe cases, can even impair vision”.
4 eye diseases associated with tobacco use
The specialists at Miranza refer to five vision problems that can be affected by tobacco use.
- Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD)
Tobacco increases the risk of developing age-related macular degeneration (AMD) by two to three times. This disease is considered the leading cause of blindness in people over 55 years old in developed countries. It damages the central part of the retina, where 90% of vision resides and visual acuity is sharpest and most precise.
- Cataracts
People who smoke are twice as likely to develop cataracts, a clouding of the lens that blurs vision. Additionally, smoking accelerates its progression, leading to problems such as blurry vision, increased sensitivity to light, and difficulty distinguishing colors.
- Diabetic Retinopathy
Smoking worsens the complications of diabetes, increasing the risk of diabetic retinopathy, a disease that damages the blood vessels of the retina and can lead to permanent vision loss.
- Dry Eye
Dry eye syndrome is a condition that occurs when tears cannot adequately lubricate the eye, causing discomfort as well as visual problems and, in some cases, damage to the ocular surface that could harm the cornea and the conjunctiva or the membrane that covers both the inner surface of the eyelid and the eyeball.
For smokers, tobacco is a risk factor because its substances irritate the eyes and accelerate tear evaporation, causing dryness, redness, and itching.
The effects of tobacco during pregnancy
Smoking during pregnancy not only puts the mother’s health at risk but also that of her baby, who is up to five times more likely to develop bacterial meningitis, inflammation of the tissues surrounding the brain, which can cause eye infections as well as other vision problems.
Additionally, smoking during pregnancy significantly increases the risk of premature birth, which raises the likelihood that children born before 32 weeks of gestation may suffer permanent vision loss.
