To mark World No Tobacco Day, which will be held on 31 May, IMO Foundation warns of the serious consequences of smoking for vision.
Macular degeneration is a degenerative condition that affects the central area of the retina and gradually damages fine-detail vision, i.e. vision that enables us to see faces, read, write, drive, sew and generally perform tasks that require accuracy.
Dr Rafael Navarro, a retina and vitreous specialist at IMO, explains how smokers develop the condition earlier than the rest of the population and in a more virulent way, as smoking has a direct effect on the circulation of the vessels of the retina, as well as those of the rest of the body.
It is essential not to forget its highly damaging effect on the retina and, in general, on vision, as it complicates other ocular disorders such as glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy. “The first thing a diabetic should obviously avoid is smoking,” says Dr. Borja Corcóstegui - IMO Barcelona
