If you want to preserve your vision and keep your eyes in tip-top shape, you need to take the necessary steps to protect them. Most people know that eating a healthy diet and getting regular exercise can contribute to eye health, but they often don’t realize that habits like smoking can adversely affect it. But does quitting smoking really help your eyesight.
Smoking and eye health
Smoking can be just as harmful to the eyes as it is to the heart and lungs. Cigarette smoke is comprised of several toxic chemicals that can put you at risk for developing cataracts, and age-related macular degeneration (AMD).
A cataract is a clouding of the eye’s natural lens, while AMD is the deterioration of the macula of the eye. Both of these conditions can be triggered by exposure to the oxidants released in cigarette smoke.
Why quitting smoking can help your eyesight
Continued exposure to cigarette smoke can result in biological changes to the eyes that can cause eye diseases, and lead to vision loss. The chemicals present in cigarette smoke also decrease the antioxidants in the body, which are a part of the defense system, and also help to keep the eye lens transparent.
When you quit smoking it significantly reduces the intake of oxidants, and the body’s defense mechanism is better able to protect the eyes, and of course it reduces your future risk of developing eye diseases.
Healthy eyes enhance your quality of life, but smoking is one of those habits that can be harmful to the health of your eyes.
Contact New View Eye Center, located in Reston, VA for more information on how smoking can impact eye health. Call (703) 834-9777 today, and schedule an appointment with ophthalmologist Dr. Jacqueline Griffiths.