Smoking

Dr Alex Ionides at Moorfields Eye Hospital states that smoking can lead to eye conditions such as cataracts and macular degeneration. Smokers are up to two times more likely to develop cataracts than non-smokers and four times more likely to develop macular degeneration.

Non-smokers living with smokers, or people that are exposed to frequent passive smoke, double their risk of developing these conditions. There is also evidence to suggest that smoking can lead to a faster deterioration of the eye for those with pre-existing eye conditions, such as retinitis pigmentosa or glaucoma, than those who have never smoked.

Although the resulting sight loss from smoking is irreversible, research suggests reducing the amount you smoke, or quitting altogether, greatly decreases your risk of developing damaging eye conditions in the future. Studies show that after one year of quitting, the risk of developing macular degeneration drops by 6.7 percent, with a further reduction of 5 percent after five years. Similarly, doctors believe that after twenty-five years of quitting, the odds of developing cataracts falls by 20 percent compared with current smokers.

Quitting smoking, at any point, will decrease your risk of developing many sight-related conditions.

If you are a smoker and concerned about your eyes, a routine examination at your local opticians will be able to confirm the health of your eyes and detect the early signs of any smoking-related damage.