Quit smoking for healthier eyes

8th March is National No Smoking Day. So here are a few facts to get you or your smoking friends motivated to quit.

•     Smokers are 42 % more likely to get cataracts. They are also at increased risk of glaucoma.
•     Smokers are up to four times more likely than non-smokers to develop age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and smokers with a genetic predisposition to AMD are up to 20 times more likely to get the condition. Macular degeneration is the leading cause of sight loss in the UK.
•     People who smoke are twice as likely to have dry eyes.
•     Smoking may as much as double the risk of developing diabetes which can lead to diabetic retinopathy and sight loss.

The good news is that research shows that if you stop smoking today,  in 20 years you will have no significantly greater risk of AMD or cataracts than a non-smoker.