How Smoking Harms your Vision
Dr. Minija. C.K,
Senior consultant Medical Retina Cataract & Uvea, Sankara Eye Hospital
Bangalore. As we are
preparing to mark World No Tobacco Day on 31st May 2018, here’s
another reason to quit smoking: Your Eyes.
We are all aware
of the fact that smoking is injurious to the body, but less aware of its
harmful effects of smoking on vision. The
smoke generated by smoking a cigarette, a pipe or any other tobacco products
can cause a severe damage to the individual who is smoking and also people
around who are exposed to the smoke.
Usually cancers
and cardiovascular disorders are caused due to the tobacco and smoke exposure,
but we are unaware of the detrimental effect smoking can cause on our vision. Smoking
has been linked directly to two leading causes of vision loss, macular
degeneration and cataract. Researchers also believe that smoking contributes to
a range of eye related problems for both smokers and passive smokers including
adults and children.
Women who smoke are more likely to give birth
prematurely, putting their babies at risk for developing a disease called
Retinopathy of prematurity which is one of the causes of vision loss in babies
if not treated.
The smoke of
cigarette is extremely toxic which contains as many as 4,000 active compounds
that includes tar, polycyclic, carbon monoxide, formaldehyde and heavy metals. It
increases age- related eye problems like macular degeneration, cataracts,
diabetic retinopathy, dry- eye syndrome and Optic neuropathy. Not just smokers
it also affects the non- smokers where they are usually exposed to eye
irritation and burning sensations.
Tips
to prevent vision loss: Quit Smoking, Eat healthy
foods a lot of green leafy vegetables and fruits high in Vitamin C, E and beta carotene, Exercise
regularly, Maintain normal
blood pressure and cholesterol levels.
Remedies to quit smoking:
Eliminate Triggers: The decision to quit smoking is one of the
toughest situations, but ensure you thoroughly clean the house and cars and
remove all aliments prompting you to smoke like ashtrays, cigarettes, odours
etc.
Rework on your routine: Planning up a proper schedule to keep away
from smoking is very important. You may have built in smoke breaks in between
works, try avoiding such which leads you to more cravings.
Find a healthy snack food you can carry
with you: Substitute
smoking with a good snack like sugar- free lollipops, gum, celery sticks, sunflower
seeds etc. All these would help you quit smoking and divert yourself from the cravings.
Comments
Post a Comment