Smokers at risk from sight loss
Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of severe vision loss for people over the age of 55 in the western world. AMD is a degenerative retinal eye disease that causes progressive loss of central vision. AMD affects the macula – the part of the retina responsible for clear vision needed for daily activities such as reading or driving.1
According to the World Health Organisation the only established modifiable risk factor is smoking. People who smoke more than double their risk of developing AMD yet this is not widely known. 1
‘Awareness of blindness from smoking is worryingly low’, Amrik Sappal from Specsavers Opticas in Fuengirola explains; ‘When you inhale a cigarette, approximately 4,000 chemicals such as nicotine, tar, arsenic and ammonia enter your bloodstream and travel throughout your body. Many of these are poisonous to the delicate tissues of the eye, damaging the macula and ultimately leading to loss of vision.’
Mr. Sappal warns: ‘As well as the early onset of AMD, smokers also have a higher likelihood of developing cataracts, a common causes of blindness and visual impairment. In addition, tobacco smoking can lead to damage of the optic nerve, causing further vision impairment.’
In January 2012, just a year after the smoking ban came into force in Spain the National Committee for the Prevention of Tobacco (CNPT) and the Commission for the Tobacco Market estimated that 600,000 Spanish individuals had given up smoking and estimated that the consumption of tobacco in Spain fell by 17% as a result.
Mr Sappal says: ‘This is excellent news for the nation’s health and eye sight. Other countries that have adopted the smoking ban have seen really positive health benefits as a result and it is hoped that this trend will continue in Spain. In 2010 the BBC reported that the number of emergency hospital admissions for heart attacks in England has fallen since the smoking ban was introduced three years ago, saving the NHS almost £8.5 million a year.’
Specsavers Opticas expects to see similar health benefits following the smoking ban in Spain and is encouraging smokers to take a positive step in safeguarding their eye sight by giving up. If a smoker has concerns, a thorough eye test can identify whether their eyes have any of the signs of AMD. Visit www.specsavers.es to find your nearest Specsavers and book a free eye test.
1. European Campaign on Smoking and Blindness, Position Paper, May 2006 – AMD Alliance International