The Optometrists Association Victoria and Quit Victoria have collaborated to provide support to patients who smoke to encourage them to quit. Health professionals such as Optometrists are a respected source of preventative information.
Taking the time to talk about smoking with patients during visits can help prevent vision loss.
Optometrists can use the 5As framework to discover if the patient smokes, to advise and assess the patient's readiness to make a quit attempt and then, if appropriate, a referral to the Quitline can be made easily using the fax referral form supplied to all Victorian Optometrists.
Download a PDF version of health professionals fax referral form.
Smoking has been linked to the following serious eye conditions. These eye conditions can result in vision loss.
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AMD
Smoking increases the risk of developing age related macular degeneration (AMD). This condition destroys your central vision limiting your ability to read, see people's faces, sew and do other fine detail tasks. Smoking almost doubles the risk of certain types of ARMD. Because treatments for ARMD are limited, reducing risk factors such as smoking is very important.
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Cataracts
Smoking increases your risk of developing cataracts – a haze in the lens of the eye preventing clear vision. Cataract surgery is required to fix this problem.
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Glaucoma
Smoking has been shown to increase the pressure inside the eye. High pressure in the eye, a condition called Glaucoma, can damage the sensitive optic nerve, permanently damaging vision.
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Graves Disease
Smoking can induce Graves Disease, otherwise known as Thyroid Eye Disease, in predisposed individuals. Smokers with Graves Disease often suffer from worse eye symptoms than non-smokers.
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Contact Lenses
Smoking increases the risk of developing corneal infections and inflammations (microbial keratitis and infiltrates) in those who wear contact lenses.
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Esotropia
Smoking during pregnancy has been linked to inward turning eyes (squints) in newborns.
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Irritation
Passive smoke irritates the eye causing many symptoms including stinging, burning or prickling sensations, watering of the eyes and redness.
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Dry Eye
Smokers are 82% more likely to suffer from dry eye than non-smokers.
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For more information about smoking and eye disorders, download our Background Brief :
Stop smoking to see the future
You can also find more information at the Optometrists Association Australia (Victorian Division) website.