Heavy Smoking Can Damage Vision
Researchers at
Rutgers
University Behavioral Health Care reported findings of a study in Psychiatry Research demonstrating that smoking
more than 20 cigarettes a day can damage your vision. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 34.3
million adults in the US currently smoke cigarettes and that more than 16
million live with a smoking-related disease, many of which affect the
cardiovascular system. Cigarette smoke consists of numerous neurotoxic compounds
that are harmful to health. These neurotoxic chemicals are believed to result
in nerve damage to the optic nerve and retinal nerve fiber layer resulting in a
loss of color vision and contrast sensitivity. This damage is in addition to
the known harmful effects of smoking which doubles the risk for age-related
macular degeneration (AMD) and hastens the yellowing of the crystalline lens of
the eye where cataracts form.
If
you or someone you know is a smoker-now is the time to quit! To learn more
about eye health and smoking schedule an eye exam at D’Ambrosio
Eye Care at 800-325-3937, visit D’Ambrosio
Eye Care,
or facebook.com/dambrosioeyecare so that we can help.
D'Ambrosio Eye Care provides eye care for patients throughout
greater Boston, central and western Massachusetts with office locations at 479
Old Union Turnpike, Lancaster, Massachusetts 01523, 865 Merriam Avenue, Suite
119, Leominster, Massachusetts 01453, 100 Powder Mill Road, Acton,
Massachusetts 01720, 413 Main Street, Athol, Massachusetts 01331, 74 Main
Street, Gardner, Massachusetts 01440 and 255 Park Avenue, Suite 606, Worcester,
Massachusetts 01609.
