Many people are very unaware of how smoking damages eyesight; generally, people associated smoking hazards with heart disease, cancer, and wrinkly skin. But if there is any compelling reason to quit smoking, damaged vision certainly tops that list: nobody wants to lose their ability to see.
Chronic tobacco usage negatively affects the eyes in a multitude of ways. Here are just a few of the main problems smokers experience with their vision:
- Irritation: Cigarette smoke causes redness, burning and itching in the eyes. It can also cause dry eye syndrome and change the tear film in the eyes.
- Optic Nerve Damage: Since smoking causes hardening of the arteries and these blockages can damage the optic nerve, leading to reduced vision and even blindness.
- Cataracts: Smoking increases the likelihood of cataracts or clouded lenses that, over time, can cause reduced vision and blindness.
- Macular Degeneration: People who smoke are four times more likely to develop macular degeneration than non-smokers. Macular degeneration is when the macula, the part of the retina that enables sharp, focused vision, is weakened, causing blurry vision and even blindness.
It is pretty clear that smoking is not going to help anyone see any better. Chronic smoking either creates or exaggerates vision problems. But these damages don’t have to be permanent—when people quit smoking much of the harm done to the eyes can be reversed or at least halted.
Quitting smoking is not always the easiest path, but it is the best path to better health. Of the many smoking cessation methods out there, smokers who are worried about damage to their vision should consider quit smoking hypnosis. Quit smoking hypnosis addresses the root of the smoking problem—the fact that it is a psychosocial habit. Quit smoking hypnosis allows smokers to re-wire their thinking process vis-à-vis cigarettes so that they no longer feel dependent on the emotional gratification or stress relief that they believe tobacco provides. Quit smoking hypnosis takes willpower, but the long-term health benefits are definitely worth the effort.
Smoking is a psychosocial habit that damages vision. If you are someone you know is struggling with a smoking habit, and are concerned about how it could be negatively impacting your eyesight, please contact us for more details or share your own ideas and experiences with us on Facebook.