IS YOUR EYESIGHT GOING UP IN SMOKE?

FACT: SMOKING CAN MAKE YOU GO BLIND!
MISCONCEPTION: IT WILL NOT HAPPEN TO ME!

Smokers are up to four times more likely to go blind in old age, according to research.

Smoking increases the risk of cataract and macular degeneration by more than 3 times.

Smoking can also further aggravate dry eyes.

These conditions can be prevented with good health and care of your eyes.

The macula is a small area at the center of the retina that allows us to see fine details such as central vision, activities such as reading and writing and appreciating colour vision. Macular degeneration makes these activities and recognizing small objects or faces very difficult and the resulting blindness is irreversible. The diagnosis and treatment is made only by an eye specialist, preferably a Retina Specialist. Smoking is the major preventable cause of this condition. The process can be stopped using laser treatment only if the condition is caught in its early stages. A new treatment for macular degeneration using ‘Avastin Injections’ shows incredible results in improving vision with those affected by macular degeneration. Our Retina Specialist, Dr Rahul Shroff, runs a Macula Clinic for the special purpose of preserving sight in sight-threatening conditions such as age-related macular degeneration

Cataract is no longer just a disease of old age now due to high risk factors such as smoking. A thorough eye examination by an ophthalmologist detects the presence and the extent of a cataract. Cataracts need not to be mature (‘ripe’) before removal as was the consideration with older technology. Today’s cataracts can be removed very safely with no requirement of stitches and also using very advanced lens implants like wavefront lenses and Multifocals which help in both near and far vision, thus eliminating or reducing the dependency on glasses.

Some Facts on Smoking and our Eyes

How can smoking damage my eyes?

When you inhale cigarette smoke, thousands of chemicals get into your bloodstream and cause damage to the macula (the most sensitive part of the retina, at the back of your eye). Tiny blood vessels can burst through the macula, leading to irreversible damage, or alternatively, the cells of the macula slowly die. Both ultimately lead to loss of vision.

Is this damage reversible?

No. Some new treatments may help reduce the severity of vision loss, but for majority of people with macular degeneration, the condition will not be treatable.

Is there a test to check if my eyes are damaged?

An ophthalmologist (eye specialist) will be able to determine the extent of the damage. You need to be seen urgently by an ophthalmologist if you become aware of blurred, distorted vision or notice a dark greyish area in your line of sight. This examination requires dilating your eyes with eye drops and examining the retina which only eye doctors are certified to do and not an optician.

Your role in the management of your eye condition is to ‘Quit Smoking’ and regularly get your eye examined by an eye specialist.

Issued in public interest by Shroff Eye Hospital, Mumbai, India

India’s first Eye Hospital to be awarded the JCI- Joint Commission International certification (USA), the Gold standard of Healthcare Internationally. India’s first LASIK Centre to launch the 400 Hz Wavelight Allegretto laser