Vaping: Dr Sara outlines the main side effects
With the invention of what we know as e-cigarettes in 2003 it was hoped this would provide a healthier alternative to smoking tobacco.
While some of the health risks associated with traditional cigarettes are not found with vaping, recent research has suggested that e-cigarettes may be just as bad for you.
Scientists have even pinpointed a serious lung condition, caused solely by vaping – e-cigarette or vaping use associated lung injury (EVALI).
But one expert has warned the habit could have an unexpected impact – on your eyes.
Speaking to Express.co.uk , eye surgeon and UK medical director for Optical Express – Doctor David Teenan – explained: “More Brits than ever before are now vaping, and there’s an assumption that vapes are less dangerous than traditional cigarettes, but the truth is vaping can have serious long term health implications.
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“While e-cigarettes may be safer in some ways, they contain many of the same chemicals found in tobacco, and can lead to many of the same long term problems.
“People often overlook the impact that smoking and vaping can have on the eyes, but the fact is that vaping can damage your vision. In the worst cases it can lead to permanent sight loss.”
He warned that vaping could be linked to cataracts and glaucoma.
Dr Teenan said: “There’s mounting evidence to show that vaping increases your likelihood of developing cataracts earlier in life – which causes a fogging or clouding of the lens in the eye, leading to reduced vision when left untreated.
“Vapes can also cause users to develop glaucoma at a relatively young age. Known as a silent killer of vision, the condition can seriously reduce the quality of your eyesight.
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“It’s shocking because vapes have been sold as a safe alternative to cigarettes, but vaping has real health implications.
“So many people are vaping now, particularly younger generations, and they’re putting their eyesight at risk. “
He said it was hard to know exactly what the long-term effects on the eyes could be.
However, he said: “What we do know is that just half an hour of vaping can lead to oxidative stress in the eyes which can cause macular degeneration.
“This condition usually occurs later in life, but if you are a vape user, you are more likely to get it sooner.
“Vapes can either cause your eyes to deteriorate, which is known as dry macular degeneration, or they can make excess blood grow underneath the retina in the middle of your eyeball, which is known as wet macular degeneration.
“The strain which oxidative stress puts on your eyes is extremely unhealthy – and more likely to develop if you are a vape user.”
Symptoms of vape-related eye problems
Dr Teenan said there are some early indicators of eye problems caused by vaping to spot.
“One of the most immediate symptoms is dry eye, which makes your eyes go red and itchy, sometimes hurting when you blink,” he said.
“Vape users could also be more sensitive to bright lights because of how their habit, and the dry eye symptom it causes, stops their eyes from producing enough moisture.
“Research shows that those who vape are more likely to suffer from moderate to severe dry eye than those who don’t.
“Yes, dry eye is treatable with certain eye drops to keep the eyes moist.
“However, this is only a temporary solution – the safest way of avoiding these issues is to quit vaping altogether, or better still, don’t start in the first place.”
If you experience any eye problems you should speak to an optometrist, he said.
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