Smoking, Vaping and the relationship with your eyes

Eye Irritation

• Smoke as an Irritant: Smoke irritates eyes, especially for contact lens wearers, due to tar and nicotine contamination.

Health Effects

• Negative Impacts: Smoking affects skin appearance, breath odor, and overall health, including shortness of breath and reduced athletic ability.

• Vision Loss Risk: Smokers are four times more likely to develop macular degeneration and face risks of diseases like lung cancer, heart disease, and stroke.

Secondhand Smoke

• Danger to Others: Secondhand smoke has caused over two million non-smoker deaths since the 1960s and can worsen conditions like asthma.

Tobacco Use Recommendations

• Avoid Tobacco: If you don’t smoke, don’t start. If you do, consult your doctor about quitting. Resources: 800-QUITNOW.

• No Safe Tobacco: Smokeless tobacco increases risks for gum disease and mouth cancer.

E-Cigarettes and Vaping

• Addiction Risks: E-cigarettes contain nicotine, which is addictive. They may harm developing brains and fetuses.

• Health Concerns: Some e-cigs contain harmful chemicals like diacetyl, linked to “popcorn lung disease.”

Quick Facts

• Youth Smoking: 3,200 youth smoke their first cigarette daily; 9 out of 10 smokers start before age 18.

• Declining Rates: Adult smoking rates dropped from 42% in 1964 to 18% in 2014.

• Health Statistics: Over 16 million Americans suffer from smoking-related diseases; smokers typically die 13-14 years earlier than non-smokers.

Conclusion

Say "no" to tobacco and protect your health and vision.

Source: American Optometric Association. (n.d.). Smoking, vaping, and your eyes [Fact sheet]. Retrieved January 19, 2026, from https://www.aoa.org/AOA/Documents/About%20the%20AOA/Get%20Involved/Smoking_Vaping_and_Your_Eyes_FactSheet%20%281%29.pdf