September 9, 2013 
The effect of smoking on your eyes and vision can be extremely dangerous …
You already know that smoking and exposure to tobacco smoke harms your health but did you know that it also increases the risk of many diseases and disorders of the eyes? These are just a few:
Irritation of the eyes
Smoking can cause chronic eye redness . Cigarette smoke and even passive smoking can damage the sensitive membrane of the eye , can cause dry eye syndrome and can worsen allergy symptoms .
Macular degeneration
Smokers have up to 4 times higher risk of senile macular degeneration. People who have quit smoking have a 3 times higher risk of developing macular degeneration , while those who consume red wine in moderation have lower risk of developing this disease.
Cataracts
Smokers have a higher risk of developing cataracts , a clouding that occurs in the eye lens or the membrane of the eye lens . Smoking reduces the flow of antioxidants into the eye , reducing the level of free radicals , which is why the risk of various diseases is significantly lower.
Vascular diseases
Smoking can cause atherosclerosis , or hardening of the arteries , which can worsen the health of the vascular system even in the eyes . Diseases of the arteries and veins can cause damage to the eye nerves , leading to significant loss of vision or blindness.
Diseases associated with thyroid diseases
Persons who have problems with the thyroid gland have a higher risk of eye diseases such as convex one or both eyes , swelling or redness of the eyes . If you are diagnosed with a thyroid disease , your doctor will surely advise to stop smoking.
Optic neuropathy
Smoking reduces blood flow in the body , which can damage the optic nerve . Toxic optic neuropathy occurs under the influence of excessive consumption of methyl alcohol , which results in rapid deterioration of vision and even blindness if there is no medical assistance in a period of 24 to 48 hours .
Taken from: www.centar-zdravlja.net