Stop smoking and save your eyesight
Cigarettes can damage nearly every part of your body, including your eyes. Find out why — and how to stop smoking for good.
You’ve heard it a hundred times before: Smoking is bad for your health. You probably know that cigarettes can damage your lungs, but you might not be aware that smoking hurts your eyes too.
Smoking not only increases the chances of vision problems such as dry eye. It can also raise the risk of serious eye diseases that can cause vision loss, such as macular degeneration and cataracts.1
Losing your eyesight shouldn’t happen to you or anyone you love. Find out what conditions you can avoid by quitting today — and learn how to stop the habit as painlessly as possible.
Stay on top of your eye health with an in-network provider. Search for an eye care provider now.
The trouble with tobacco
There are more than 7,000 chemicals in tobacco smoke, and at least 250 of them are known to be bad for your health, according to the National Cancer Institute.2 That includes chemicals such as ammonia and carbon monoxide.
The main way these chemicals can harm the eyes is by lowering blood circulation and oxygen flow to them. Without oxygen, your eyes (and the rest of the body) can’t work as well. The eyes are rich in blood vessels and nerve tissue. They need lots of oxygen to be able to see properly.
That’s one reason why research shows that smokers are at a higher risk of many eye conditions, says David Damari, O.D., an optometrist and professor of optometry at The Ohio State University College of Optometry in Columbus.
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Eye conditions that can be caused by smoking
Below are a few of the conditions that can affect you if you haven’t kicked cigarettes yet. If you’re thinking of switching to e-cigarettes as a substitute, know that the jury is still out on vaping, says Damari. “For some conditions, it doesn’t really matter how you consume tobacco,” he adds.
Dry eye syndrome
Smoking irritates the surface of the eyes. That means your tears don’t coat your eyes as well and your vision is compromised, notes Damari. Many people can develop dry eye syndrome, but “smokers suffer at a higher rate than nonsmokers,” he says. That’s true for vapers too, he adds.
Cataracts
Cataracts are cloudy areas that film over the lenses in your eyes (the lenses sit behind the iris, the colored part of the eye). Lenses help you focus on objects so, when they’re clouded over, it’s tough to see clearly.
Many people get cataracts as they get older. Smokers are 2 to 3 times more likely to develop cataracts.3 They also develop cataracts at a younger age than nonsmokers do, and their vision is blocked more, says Damari. Experts think it’s because smokers may have a harder time clearing out toxins from the eyes, leading to cell damage.4
Surgery is the only treatment for cataracts. A surgeon will cut out the cloudy lens and replace it with an artificial one. It’s common, but it’s still surgery, notes Damari. “If you can avoid cataract surgery early in life by quitting smoking, it’s best to do so,” he adds. If you just let the cataracts go? You gradually go blind.
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD)
Macular degeneration affects the most sensitive part of the retina. The retina is in the back of the eye that acts like a camera to help you see. When you have AMD, a hole forms in the middle of the retina. That makes it hard to see things straight in front of you.
“Macular degeneration also happens more often and more severely in smokers,” says Damari. The reason: Smokers aren’t getting enough oxygen to the optic nerve in your retina. You can treat AMD with injections in the eye. That slows the damage but doesn’t cure the disease. “These injections happen 2 or 4 times a year,” says Damari. “It sounds unpleasant, and that’s because it is. It’s best if you can make smart lifestyle choices and avoid this condition.”
Signs smokers need to pay attention to
Some of these eye conditions, such as AMD, come on slowly. That’s why it’s important to have a comprehensive eye exam every year, so that your optometrist can make sure your eyes are still healthy.
It’s a good idea to see your eye doctor if you develop any new symptoms, including:
- Trouble seeing in low light or at night
- Trouble seeing colors, or colors seem faded
- Eyestrain, itchiness or pain
- Trouble reading or recognizing faces
- Eyesight that comes and goes
- Blurry vision or blurry spots
- Things look wavy when you look straight ahead
- Sudden loss of vision
These are signs of cataracts, AMD and dry eyes. The last one is a sign of ischemic optic neuropathy. That’s when the optic nerve — the bundle of nerves that connects the eye to the brain — doesn’t get enough oxygen, says Damari. That’s another serious eye disease that affects smokers, he adds.
Tips for kicking the habit
The sooner you quit, the better, says Damari. The longer you stay away from tobacco, the more you cut the risk of getting those eye conditions, he explains.
Of course, stopping is easier said than done. Here are some strategies that work for many people.5
Counseling. If talking to a therapist or a support group isn’t your thing, go mobile. Find text support through SmokefreeTXT, download the app quitSTART, or get free coaching by calling 800-QUIT-NOW.
Medications. Nicotine replacement therapy, or NRT, comes in many forms. You can get over-the-counter patches, lozenges and gum. Or talk to your provider about stronger prescription drugs.
The most effective way to stop smoking is using a combination of counseling and medication. You’ll be doing your whole body a favor, including your eyes.
Providers in the UnitedHealthcare Vision Network are here to help keep your vision healthy. Search for a provider now.
Sources:
- Vision Loss, Blindness and Smoking Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, last reviewed May 2022.
- Harms of Cigarette Smoking and Health Benefits of Quitting National Cancer Institute, reviewed December 2017
- How Smoking Can Contribute to Vision Loss and Blindness U.S. Food & Drug Administration, last updated April 2022.
- Smoking and Risk of Age-Related Cataract: A Meta-Analysis Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science, June 2012.
- How to Quit Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, last reviewed June 2021.
