Smoking, Eye Health and Contacts
- Author Chelsea Francis
- Published March 19, 2010
- Word count 416
We have all heard or seen the surgeon general’s warning about smoking: it causes lung cancer, heart disease, emphysema, and may complicate pregnancy. But fewer people know that it also plays a significant, negative role in eye health.
Recent studies have pointed to smoking as a contributor to age-related macular degeneration, the leading cause of blindness in persons 65 and older. Smokers also have a three-times greater risk of developing cataracts.
The chemicals in cigarette smoke get into the bloodstream, cause clots, and shrink blood vessels. The retina uses a major supply of blood to help us see clearly. When the retinal receptors lack a proper flow of blood, damage occurs that directly affects eyesight. This constriction of blood vessels also raises inner eye pressure, resulting in glaucoma and deterioration of the optic nerve.
Other eye disorders attributed to smoking include uveitis, an inflammation of the middle layer of the eye and Graves’ ophthalmopathy, a thyroid-related disease that disrupts muscle control of the eye. Smoking worsens diabetic retinopathy, blood vessel damage associated with abnormal sugar levels and spikes the number of free radicals, molecules in the body that alter healthy cells. This changes the ability to absorb proper nutrients and vitamins—including those necessary for eye health.
Contact lens wearers who also smoke exacerbate conditions of dry eye and cornea irritation, increasing the chances of infection. Achieving comfort becomes more difficult, and smokers have to resort to additional dietary nutrients, supplements, or medicated drops to increase eye moisture. Quitting the habit gives you the opportunity to see if your dry eyes improve to the point where you can do away with those ‘artificial tears’ and other lubricants.
Second hand smoke has over 250 toxic compounds that are left behind in the air for eyes to be exposed to. In addition to the obvious irritation, second hand smoke gets into the bloodstream just as pervasively as puffing from a lit cigarette.
Quitting smoking reduces the risks of developing eye disease, but once you are diagnosed with macular degeneration or optic nerve damage it is irreversible. The key is to give up smoking while eyes are relatively healthy with no major disorders present; risk factors continue to decline the longer you stay away from cigarettes.
Snuffing out the habit sooner rather than later is a winning health strategy. Not only will you breathe easier and enjoy your activities more, but you will also give yourself a great chance of keeping good vision along with a better quality of life.
Chelsea Francis is part of a research and marketing team employed by Contact Lens King in order to keep their customers informed with regard to contact lenses and the industry. Our researchers work hard to keep our prices at the lowest per box pricing at up to 70% savings to the consumer. In addition, we offer free shipping on all orders in the continental USA.
http://www.contactlensking.com
http://www.contactlensking.blogspot.com/
Article source: https://articlebiz.comRate article
Article comments
There are no posted comments.
Related articles
- Out with Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael: 230,000 Irish Children Living in Poverty
- The challenge of Cholera today
- The Ultimate Guide to 3D Animation: From Basics to Advanced Techniques
- Strategic Equipment Financing: Simplifying Capital Investments for Sustainable Growth
- Transform Your Health Journey with Able's Online Weight Loss Counseling
- Are the Crocs' shoes good for your feet?
- Your Ultimate Guide to False Eyelash Types: Find Your Perfect Match!
- Discovering Lighting Stores in Brampton: Spotlight on Fehmilights
- Blue Pacific Financial Loans
- Why is SEO for businesses on the Wirral important
- Proton Mail In Vivaldi Email
- Email Deployment
- Search Engine Marketing: Unleashing Its Power for Your Business
- Squarespace email campaigns vs Mailchimp
- Squarespace email campaigns vs Mailchimp
- Commercial Cleaning Services in Auckland: A Deep Dive into Angel Cleaning
- What is CCTLD?
- Why Women of Color Need to Support Kamala Harris
- Email Extractor from CSV
- How to download Gmail email content into a CSV file.
- Is email marketing legit?
- How SEO Can Improve Your Business?
- Mitsubishi Electric proves heat pump compatibility with microbore pipework
- Polio: Doctors Struggled to Advise the Public Correctly.
- What makes the city of Melbourne such a unique place?
- What is the role of the Royal Society of London?
- Festive Decor with a Global Twist
- Mixer of Styles, The Boho Mid Century Farmhouse
- Explore Cape Town: Group Cape Town Tours With a Private Shuttle
- Exploring Airbnb Cleaning Service in Auckland: History, Trends, and Future Implications