We all know that smoking is bad for our health, but many are unaware that it can be damaging to our eyesight too. A recent survey by the Macular Society found that more than half (53 per cent) of UK adults were unaware that smoking can cause blindness.

Smoking doubles your chances of losing your sight:

• Smoking causes harm to the tissues of the eye. Research has confirmed the harmful effects of smoking on eyesight, particularly in the development of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) - one of the UK's leading causes of sight loss - and cataracts.

• Smokers double their risk of developing AMD, and tend to develop it earlier than non-smokers. Treatment options for AMD are limited. Stopping smoking can reduce the risk of macular degeneration developing.

• Smoking is linked to the development of cataracts, and although they are treatable and therefore do not lead to blindness, they remain a major cause of sight loss in the UK.

• Smoking can make diabetes related sight problems worse.

• Smoking increases free radicals, which accelerate ageing, and alter the body's ability to absorb or extract necessary vitamins and minerals from food.

• Passive smoking is almost as harmful as smoking yourself.

• Smoking cigarettes has also been found to increase the risk of dry eye syndrome and can exacerbate existing eye conditions.

• There is also growing evidence that cigarettes impair colour vision; smokers who consume more than 20 cigarettes per day may suffer colour vision defects.

Worryingly, the pandemic has had a significant impact on the number of smokers here in the UK; a study funded by Cancer Research UK found that hundreds of thousands more people smoked compared to before the pandemic hit. There was a 25 per cent rise in 18- to 34-year-olds who smoke – resulting in more than 652,000 new smokers.

It’s not all bad news though, as the research also found increases in the number of smokers quitting successfully. Michelle Mitchell, Cancer Research UK’s Chief Executive, said: “There’s no ‘safe’ level of smoking or drinking, and stopping smoking or cutting down drinking will help to reduce your risk of cancer.”

It’s never too late to stop smoking, quitting at any age can reduce your risk of developing many sight-threatening eye conditions. It’s time to take care of not only your eyes but your overall health too; it’s time to stub it out for good and say eyequit.

For more information on stopping please visit https://www.nhs.uk/better-health/quit-smoking/