Combined Effect of Vaping and Smoking May Worsen Vision
About 12 percent of Americans smoke cigarettes. We’ve known for decades that smoking can cause health problems and damage the eyes. However, we do not know as much about e-cigarettes. New research suggests the combination of smoking and vaping can pose a heightened threat to eye tissues.
What Is an E-Cigarette?
E-cigarettes are battery-operated devices that mimic traditional tobacco cigarettes. A pharmacist in Beijing created the modern e-cigarette in 2003 as an alternative to regular cigarettes.
E-cigarettes use an atomizer and a cartridge that contains nicotine or a non-nicotine solution. The battery heats the liquid, and the atomizer vaporizes it as a mist. This is why smoking e-cigarettes is often called “vaping.”
Vaping Is Increasing in Popularity Among Young Americans
While fewer Americans are smoking traditional cigarettes, vaping is increasing. According to a Gallup poll, eight percent of U.S. adults said they smoked e-cigarettes in the past week. Vaping is especially popular among young adults; people younger than 30 are twice as likely to vape than any other age group.
Vaping also seems to have more sticking power than cigarettes. In 2023, 50 percent of young people who tried e-cigarettes kept using them.
Study Links Smoking and Vaping to Increased Eye Problems
A recent study published in JAMA Ophthalmology found that young adults and adolescents who used cigarettes and e-cigarettes had more significant eye problems than those who used only one product. Participants who smoked and vaped were more likely to experience pain, redness, dryness, blurred vision, headaches and sensitivity to light.
“In ophthalmology clinics, I’ve increasingly noticed patients, particularly adolescents and young adults, presenting with eye-related symptoms such as dryness, irritation, and even vision disturbances,” said Anne Xuan-Lan Nguyen, MDCM, an ophthalmology resident at the University of Toronto, Canada, who led the research.
The study examined more than 4,000 people aged 13-24 about their smoking habits in the last month, week or ever. About 900 participants said they smoked cigarettes and/or vaped in the last week. Many of the patients said they did not wear contact lenses or take medication for eye problems.
Among the respondents who vaped, 55.9 percent said they also used cigarettes. Dual users of cigarettes and e-cigarettes had more frequent and severe eye symptoms compared to users of only one type of product. Up to four percent of respondents who had ever used both products said they experienced severe or very severe eye symptoms.
“All these conditions we know are worse as you get older,” said Laura Enyedi, MD, pediatric ophthalmologist in Durham, North Carolina, who was not associated with the study. “So if young people are having symptoms, it doesn’t bode well for them as they age” (Medscape).
Why Are Cigarettes and E-Cigarettes Harmful to the Eyes?
Because the study was observational, the findings cannot prove that the combined effect of smoking and vaping damages vision. However, they suspect cigarettes and e-cigarettes cause oxidative damage. When combustion occurs in cigarettes and the e-cigarette solvent propylene glycol, the reaction creates free radicals, causing oxidative stress, which damages the eye surface.
Smokers are twice as likely to develop age-related macular degeneration and two to three times more likely to develop cataracts than non-smokers. Smoking can also cause uveitis, an inflammation that develops inside the eye. Uveitis can lead to redness, pain and vision problems.
How You Can Prevent Smoking-Related Vision Problems
If you are a smoker, the best way to preserve your vision is to stop smoking. If you are not a smoker, don’t begin smoking. You can also make healthy lifestyle choices, such as the following:
- Exercising regularly
- Eating a nutritious diet rich in vegetables, fruits, whole grains, lean meats, fatty fish and healthy omega-3s
- Staying hydrated
- Maintaining healthy blood pressure and cholesterol levels
- Using sunscreen on a daily basis
- Wearing sunglasses that offer 100 percent UVA and UVB protection
Schedule a Comprehensive Eye Exam
Make a commitment to clear vision and healthy eyes by calling your ophthalmologist to make an appointment for a comprehensive eye examination. Annual eye exams are essential because good eyesight can improve the quality of day-to-day life. Your eye doctor will check your visual acuity, evaluate your current eye prescription and screen you for eye conditions like cataracts, glaucoma and macular degeneration.
Regular visits will help preserve your vision for years to come, so call today to make an appointment.