Smokers Risk
is no Laughing Matter

Are You Smoking Your Eyes Out?

A smoker's risk of blinding eye conditions is much greater than non-smokers. So why do you do it?

The link between smoking and blinding eye conditions has been well documented in recent years. Compared to non-smokers, smokers have

• Up to four-fold increased risk of late stage Macular Degeneration, destroying your central vision
• Up to four-fold increased risk of thyroid eye disease
• Associated risk of developing cataract, especially nuclear and posterior subcapsular cataract
• Association with impaired ocular circulation, ocular surface irritation and optic neuropathy

Stopping smoking is the single best thing you can do for your eyes and to improve your current and future eye health.

Preserve your vision and enjoy your eyes for longer - stop smoking today.

Tobacco is very addictive, so it can be difficult to give up. The important thing is to keep trying.

Phone the QUIT line on 131 848 in Australia.

Smoking is responsible for about 19, 000 deaths in Australia each year. There are also many side effects of smoking that are not fatal but impact severely on your quality of life.

It takes 20 years to reverse a smoker's risk to the same level as a non-smoker, so don't keep putting it off!

Smoking and the long-term incidence of age related macular degeneration: The Blue Mountains Eye Study. Arch Ophthalmol 2007;125:1089-1095

Cigarette smoking and thyroid eye disease: a systematic review. Eye 2007; 21: 1135-1145

Ocular side effect of tobacco smoking: a literature review. Eyenews 2008; 15. DirectoryHealthy.com - Health directory and healthy information.