Ways Smoking Affects Your Eyes
Cataracts
A cataract is a clouding of all or part of the eye’s normally clear lens. Smokers are two to three times more likely to develop cataracts.
Glaucoma
Glaucoma is a disease that causes a gradual degeneration of cells that make up the optic nerve. Smoking is linked to high blood pressure, diabetes and cataracts. All of these conditions are risk factors for glaucoma.
Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD)
AMD results in the deterioration of the macula – the part of the retina that enables us to see fine details. A person with macular degeneration loses sight in the central part of their field of vision. Various studies have found that smoking increases the likelihood of AMD by two to four times over that of a non-smoker.