An Angus optician has warned that smokers are twice as likely as non-smokers to lose their sight in later life.
Kenny Johnston, store director at Specsavers in Arbroath, said smokers also have a higher likelihood of developing cataracts, a common cause of blindness and visual impairment.
Research has confirmed the harmful effects of smoking on eyesight, particularly in the development of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), one of the UK’s leading causes of sight loss. Yet more than nine in 10 smokers in the UK are unaware of this increased risk.
Mr Johnston is now urging smokers to stub out the habit and use National No Smoking Day on Wednesday as an incentive to give up and make an appointment for an eye examination. Specsavers in Arbroath is educating smokers about the potential damage they are doing to their eyes and the increased risk of developing AMD.
“Age-related macular degeneration affects around 600,000 people in the UK alone and smokers are more likely to suffer from this eye condition than non-smokers,” he said. “They also risk contracting it earlier.
“When you inhale a cigarette, approximately 4000 chemicals such as nicotine, tar, arsenic and ammonia enter your bloodstream and travel throughout your body. Some of these substances cause blood vessels at the back of the eye to burst, damaging the macula and ultimately leading to loss of vision.
“As well as the early onset of AMD, smokers also have a higher likelihood of developing cataracts, a common cause of blindness and visual impairment. In addition, nicotine slowly poisons the optic nerve, causing impaired colour vision.
“We are urging smokers to use No Smoking Day as an incentive to give up and make an appointment for an eye examination.”
Rachel Martin from No Smoking Day said, “Nearly two-thirds of the country want to quit smoking and No Smoking Day aims to help them as, with the right support, people are four times more likely to succeed. If you want to quit go to www.wequit.co.uk to find out the support and help available.”
On No Smoking Day events will be held across the UK organised by a variety of health professionals and stop smoking services to help reach the smokers who wish to quit.
Photo used under Creative Commons licence courtesy of Flickr user Simon Blackley.