If you are a smoker or know someone who does, it might be in your best interest to know that continuing to do so can be detrimental to the eyes’ overall health. While it does not come as a surprise to many that cigarette smoking is dangerous to one’s health, it might still surprise some people that part of these multiple risks are directed towards the eyes.
A visit to a Phoenix ophthalmologist to or an eye doctor in your area can also help you to further understand the issue. Nevertheless, if you want to maintain a normal vision and protect your eyes, it would be a wise investment to avoid smoking completely.
What most people probably do not know is that smoking in your teens or twenties heightens future risks for cataract and macular degeneration. The more you smoke, the higher the chances of damaging your eye, and no Arizona eye care doctor can deny that. On a lighter note, if you quit smoking today, the risks of developing the aforementioned eye diseases becomes almost as low as those in people who never smoked a day in their lives.
Cardiovascular Diseases
Another downside to smoking is that it also raises the risks for heart diseases, which plays a big role in indirectly affecting eye health. The smoke from tobacco, commonly referred to as second-hand smoke, is also an irritant that aggravates dry eyes. This specific condition, which can be very uncomfortable and painful is prevalent among women after menopause.
Other Undesirable Effects
Scheduling an appointment with an Arizona eye specialist or a trusted ophthalmologist in your neighborhood would help you determine all the other possible effects of smoking cigarettes. A good example is that people with existing vision problems are at high risk for complete and partial vision loss.
Another worrisome fact is that pregnant women who smoke have a higher chance of giving birth prematurely. Their babies could develop retinopathy, which can cause blindness, along with a myriad of health problems.
There is increasing number of evidences that shows an increased risk of a number of eye disorders for those who smoke as well as the people who are frequently exposed the smoke.
An Arizona eye care facility can treat common eye disorders, but preventive measures can save you every penny that you will have to shell out for treatment.
A Closer Look At Tobacco
Since an Arizona eye doctor might not be able to explain clearly what tobacco is, here are some helpful information regarding cigarette smoking.
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Cigarette smoke is generated from smoking tobacco, which has two types:
Mainstream smoke: The smoke that comes from the filter of a burning cigarette, the one that is inhaled and exhaled by smokers.
Sidestream smoke: This is the smoke that comes from the tip of a burning cigarette. It is 46 times more toxic than mainstream smoke. Around 80% of tobacco-related smoke can be attributed to sidestream smoke.
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The smoke that originates from tobacco contains over 4,000 substances, which includes many infamous carcinogens, irritants, and other inflammatory agents.
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Some of the conditions associated with cigarette smoking affect both children and adults. Children, while most do not smoke, can also be exposed due to parents and relatives who smoke. This is called passive smoking.
