17 Oct Sight loss and smoking
Did you know that smokers are 4 times more likely to develop age-related macular degeneration (AMD) up to 10 years earlier than those that have never smoked? It’s also likely to progress faster and to be less responsive to treatment. Macular conditions cause over half of all the blindness in the UK.
The 4500 chemicals in cigarettes are extremely toxic affecting every cell in your body including the delicate tissue of the eyes.
Cigarette smoke not only damages blood vessels but reduces the amount of oxygen getting to the blood vessels in the retina.
Many smokers are unaware of the link between smoking and various eye diseases which include cataracts, irreversible loss of central vision and blindness.
The early signs of AMD are the formation of fatty deposits in the retina called ‘drusen’. Some people notice these before any signs of change in their vision.
In the 15 years I have specialised in helping my clients stop smoking I have never found a positive reason for smoking. Are you willing to lose your sight to smoking?
