Smoking and Vaping: the Hidden Risks to Your Eye Health

While the detrimental effects of smoking on lung and heart health are widely recognized, many are unaware of the significant harm it can also inflict on eyes. Furthermore, the rising popularity of e-cigarettes (vaping) introduces its own set of ocular risks, according to ophthalmology experts.

Dr. Anastasios-I. Kanellopoulos, founder of the LaserVision Institute and Professor of Ophthalmology at New York University, explains, “The ophthalmic risks from smoking are many and well-studied. Smoking is associated with an increased risk of developing various eye diseases, some of which can threaten vision.” The chemicals in tobacco smoke can damage sensitive eye structures like the lens and retina.

Specifically, smoking is linked to an increased risk of **Dry Eye Syndrome**, exacerbating irritation, burning, and redness. Smokers also face a two to three times greater chance of developing **Cataracts** compared to non-smokers. Perhaps most alarmingly, they are up to four times more likely to develop **Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD)**, a leading cause of vision loss, often at an earlier age.

Vaping, while not producing tar or carbon monoxide, presents different concerns. E-cigarette solutions can contain high nicotine concentrations and other chemicals with known and unknown effects on eyes. Vaping may disrupt tear film stability leading to dry eye, potentially increase cataract risk, reduce ocular blood flow, and cause inflammatory responses in corneal cells. Dual users of both cigarettes and e-cigarettes often report more severe eye problems, including blurred vision, redness, and pain.

Even prenatal exposure to maternal smoking can lead to serious infant eye issues like retinopathy of prematurity. Experts emphasize that avoiding smoking, vaping, and secondhand smoke is crucial for preserving long-term eye health.