Eye Doctor Warns Vaping And Smoking Could Cause 'Permanent Blindness'

An eye doctor has warned that smoking and vaping could lead to blindness.

Whether you're on 15 a day or are strictly a social smoker, it's pretty well proven the habit's bad for your health.

If you have a hard time seeing that, well you could be experiencing one of the nasty side effects, because those who indulge are far more likely to experience damaged eyesight, according to Lenstore optician Sujata Paul.

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Speaking about the issue to Birmingham Live, Paul suggested that smoking could lead to AMD (age-related macular degeneration), cataracts, and glaucoma.

"On a short-term perspective, tobacco smoke can also cause dry eye syndrome, leading to irritated and painful eyes."

She went on to add that smoking can increase: "Oxidative stress [which] occurs when there is an imbalance in your oxygen levels.

"Like anywhere else in the body, additional stress can have negative effects on your health. Over time, vaping will increase your risk of cataracts, macular degeneration, and even glaucoma."

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"Glaucoma reduces your vision and can even result in permanent blindness if left untreated," Paul added. 

Considering smoking and vaping could potentially lead to blindness, the government's recently proposed smoking restrictions seem less extreme.

These new restrictions were put forward by health secretary Sajid Javid following the publication of a report on the effects of smoking.

One such restriction could see the legal smoking age raised from 18 to 21.

Javed Khan, the man behind the report, also weighed in on the proposal, telling The Times in March: "We are thinking seriously about the age of sale."

But, Khan added, they'd need the full support of the government if those new restrictions were to have a real impact.

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And making comparisons with the pandemic, he added: "Just look at the Covid experience, mass marketing has a big effect, it really works. 

"The government went hell for leather, it made an enormous difference in vaccination rates."

And it seems that these public health concerns would be reflected on the very cigarettes themselves, as last October plans emerged for every cigarette to have 'Smoking Kills' or 'Smoking Causes Cancer' printed on the side.

Labour MP Mary Kelly Foy said: "We know that cigarettes are cancer sticks and kill half the people who use them. So I hope that health warnings on cigarettes would deter people from being tempted to smoke in the first place, especially young people."