Posted on: 19 July 2019
The Association of Optometrists (AOP) is warning the millions of smokers in the UK that they are putting their sight at risk if they continue to smoke. 
In West Yorkshire and Harrogate, the number of people who smoke is higher than the national average so the AOP’s warning is particularly relevant for our region. Over 75,000 local people are already living with sight loss and it is estimated that this number will rise above 93,000 by 2030.
At the beginning of July 2019, AOP launched their Stub It Out campaign to spread the word about the importance of stopping smoking to protect sight and eye health. Over 95% of the 1,063 practising optometrists who completed an online survey between 12 February and 22 March 2019 say they examine a patient every month who has eye disease that they believe is the result of smoking.
Smokers are twice as likely to lose their sight compared to non-smokers yet the link between smoking and sight threatening conditions is not always recognised. In a poll of 2,006 adults, over 75% knew of the link between smoking and cancer but just 18% were aware that smoking can cause eye disease.
So how does smoking cause eye disease?
Cigarette smoke contains thousands of different toxic chemicals which can irritate and harm the eyes. Smoking also reduces the supply of antioxidants in our eyes, increasing the risk of developing cataracts, and it decreases blood flow throughout the body, which could result in damage to the optic nerve.
Some of the eye conditions that are related to smoking are as follows:
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD)
Smokers are up to four times more likely to develop AMD, the leading cause of sight loss in the UK which mainly affects older people. This condition affects the central part of the vision and can make everyday activities, such as reading or even recognising faces, difficult or impossible. There are two types of AMD - wet AMD, which can often be treated with injections in the eye if caught early enough, and dry AMD, for which there is currently very little effective treatment. Stopping smoking is the best way to reduce the risk of developing AMD.
Cataracts
Smoking doubles the risk of developing cataracts which cause the lens inside the eye to become cloudy. Smokers tend to develop cataracts at an earlier age than non-smokers. The cataracts develop more rapidly than normal and usually affect the central part of the lens.
Uveitis (a form of eye inflammation)
Smokers are at least twice as likely to develop uveitis – a condition where the middle layer of the eyeball becomes inflamed, causing eye pain and changes to the person’s vision. The condition can also lead to secondary eye conditions such as glaucoma and cataracts.
Diabetic retinopathy
For people with diabetes, smoking increases their risk of developing retinopathy where the blood vessels in the retina at the back of the eye become damaged. This often causes blurred vision and dark spots and can even lead to permanent loss of vision.
Stephen Clark, Chair of the Partnership’s Eye Health Network said:
“Stopping smoking is one of the best things you can do to protect your sight and it’s never too late to quit and reduce the risk. Whether you’re a smoker or a non-smoker, it’s really important that you visit your optometrist at least every two years, even if you think your vision is fine, to have the health of your eyes checked as part of your sight test. Data tells us that just 26% of our local population had a sight test in 2016/17 and this is a real concern. Having one of these tests is really easy and will help protect your sight by identifying any conditions early, when treatment is more likely to be more effective.”
For more information about the Stub It Out campaign, visit the AOP’s website at: www.
If you need help to Stub It Out, find the right support for you at: https://