Eye Doctor Warns Vaping And Smoking Could Cause 'Permanent 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.

"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."

"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.

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

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

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."

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."