On the occasion of the month without tobacco, Dr. Romain Nicolau, ophthalmologist surgeon specializing in laser surgical treatment, explains to us all the harm that smoking can do to our eyes.
- Tobacco remains today the leading preventable cause of death in France.
- Nearly a third of 18-75 year olds (31.8%) smoke in France, according to the latest barometer from Public Health France.
– Why doctor – What are the consequences of smoking on eyesight?
Dr. Romain Nicolau – Smoking weakens the eye as a whole. Tobacco is an aging accelerator due to the toxic components of cigarettes that can be inhaled (passive smoking) or smoked directly (active smoking). Because of tobacco, certain ophthalmic pathologies which normally occur at an advanced age appear earlier, thereby increasing the risk of blindness for the person affected.
– More specifically, what diseases develop with tobacco consumption?
Tobacco causes the appearance of various ophthalmological pathologies: dry eye, dysfunction of the meibomian glands, blepharitis, early cataract (before 65 years), glaucoma and vascular accident of the retina. Regarding this last affectionit is caused by the cardiovascular impact of tobacco, which poses a risk to the vessels of the eye.
– How are they evolving?
Dry eyes, cataracts and glaucoma will worsen over time if smoking is continued. Quitting smoking will stabilize these illnesses, but unfortunately, when the damage is done, there is no going back. The vascular accident of the retina is most often irreversible and leads to permanent blindness.
– How to prevent them?
To avoid the appearance of these pathologies, it is absolutely necessary to stop smoking permanently. There is of course a correlation between the quantity of tobacco smoked during a lifetime and the ocular medical consequences.
– Are there treatments?
Yes, there are different treatments depending on the eye damage. For patients with dry eye, we offer artificial tears and eyelid care to fight against blepharitis in particular. These treatments consist of applying a glove of hot water for 3 minutes on the eyelids, then massaging them to release the meibum.
Glaucoma is initially treated with medical treatment, with drops to lower eye pressure. If these treatments do not work or are not tolerated, laser sessions or surgery will be offered.
In the event of occlusion of the retinal veins, simple monitoring will be proposed, with injections into the eyes if necessary. Arterial occlusion of the retina will require comprehensive cardiovascular management.
– A last word on cataract, which is the first cause of blindness in the world?
Among all the diseases caused by tobacco, cataract remains the pathology that will be best treated. Indeed, thanks to a comfortable surgery, we can cure this pathology.
The procedure is painless and only takes a few minutes. The anesthesia is local and is done through drops and a gel applied to the eye. It is performed on an outpatient basis (no hospitalization is planned), and those operated on will regain their sight within 24 to 48 hours after.
More than 600,000 cataract operations are performed every year in France.
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