Stop smoking before going blind

Do you smoke cigarettes? Think twice before taking another dose as this could not only damage your heart or lungs, but also make you blind, experts say.

Smoking harms the retina – the photoelectric tissue located at the back of the eyes, responsible for transmitting images to the brain.

"It's like a movie from a camera that converts light rays into pulses that help us see," Raja Narayanan, head of L.V. Prasad Eye Institute (LVPEI), told IANS Hyderabad.

"Smoking increases the chemical compounds in the blood, thus reducing the flow of blood and oxygen to the retina.This makes smokers twice as sensitive to age-related macular degeneration (AMD)", Narayanan added.

A recent study, published in the journal Psychiatry Research, indicates significant changes in smokers' red-green and blue-yellow color vision, suggesting that the use of substances containing neurotoxic substances, such as those of cigarettes, may overall loss of color vision.

Smoking is one of the leading preventable causes of various diseases and premature deaths worldwide.

India was among the top 10 countries in the world, with nearly two-thirds of the world's smokers (63.6%) in 2015, according to a global burden of disease study published in The Lancet in 2017.

Smoking can also affect many eye diseases such as cataracts, glaucoma, etc. Although diseases related to the front of the eye are easily identifiable, retinal diseases such as AMD and diabetic macular edema can develop silently and lead to progressive vision loss. processed at the hour.

"The loss of vision caused by retinal diseases can not be reversed, but if the disease is diagnosed in time, the disease can be effectively managed to prevent further loss of vision." Symptom recognition is essential for a quick diagnosis, "Ajay Dudani, ophthalmologist / The eye and vitreoretinal surgeon from the central retina of Mumbai told IANS.

"The symptoms of these diseases of the retina are often confused with those of old age or other eye disorders, which delays the diagnosis," he added.

People with diabetes should be extremely cautious about any change in vision and should have a healthy lifestyle, as they are more susceptible to diabetic retinopathy.

"Today, there are treatment options available that can slow or stop the progression of the disease." Among the treatment options available in India are laser photocoagulation, anti-VEGF injections ( vascular endothelial growth) and combination therapy including laser treatment and anti-VEGF, "affirmed Dudani.

According to experts, because of their unhealthy lifestyle, their eating habits, their constant stress and their exposure to digital screens, the incidence of retinal diseases and other eye disorders increases in the labor force.

They say that a smoking cessation program can help a person quit.

"It may be advisable to consult an expert and set up a smoking cessation program.Other than that, maintain a healthy lifestyle and include a range of brightly colored fruits and vegetables, which contain antioxidants. help maintain the health of the retina, "said Narayanan. .

"Dark leafy vegetables such as kale, spinach, lettuce etc. contain lutein and zeaxanthin – two important nutrients for healthy eyes, and some vitamins such as vitamin C and vitamin A also help the overall health of the eyes and help prevent the progression of AMD and the EMR, "he noted.