When a person smokes, the cigarette smoke contains nicotine, which is toxic to the body and nicotine plays a significant role in deoxidizing the antioxidants in the body. Antioxidants are important for the eyes, because they help protect the cells of retina, which are a part of the eyes and any damage to them can cause vision impairment. The decrease of antioxidants causes thinning in the layer intended to provide protection between the blood vessels and the retina.
The protective layer can be eroded away completely in time if smoking continues, this occurs because the toxins from smoking can cause aggravation and as a consequence, the circulation of nutrients may be hindered from performing their needed function in the eyes. Smoking can induce a particular type of cataract known as a nuclear cataract, which a cataract causes the eye lens loses their transparency and this creates vision loss. Antioxidants are responsible for preserving the transparency of the eyes lens.
Smoking could cause a vision disease known as thyroid eye, with this condition, double vision occurs as one of the symptoms of this disease and in some cases it can lead to total blindness. This is cause by nicotine toxins, which affect the immune system of the smoker and is accountable for the condition.
The toxins in cigarette smoke can also cause optic neuropathy, which has been proved that constant smoking blocks the arteries and reduces the blood flow. The decreased blood flow can directly damage the retina inducing total blindness. The Macula, which is the central part of the retina, is also affected by smoking and this disorder is known as Age-related Macular degeneration. This is caused by an increase in the glucose level in the blood vessels that might involve the retina and cause diabetic retinopathy. |