While the studies show that smokers have a greater chance of worse eye problems than non-smokers, the studies do not show that quitting smoking makes eye problems go away. Nor do they show that it prevents them from happening. I asked my endo about whether there was any evidence that quitting smoking would help my eyes, and she flat out stated “no”. But look at the question I asked: it involved whether there were STUDIES that showed this. So, I suspect those of us who have this question have to go into logic and fact which tells us that cigarette smoking is just generally bad for us, and recognize that doing something that will improve our overall health cannot be bad, ultimately, for our eyes. I managed to quit smoking for four months this summer (unfortunately, I live in a household of smokers, and lapsed back). During that time, my eyes actually got worse for a while, and then got better again. I think it was associated with stress, actually. I had my gall bladder removed (the initial impetus to quit smoking) which involved MAJOR stress for me, and also the stress of quitting. So for a month or so, my eyes were actually worse than “normal”. It went away.
I wish you VERY good luck, if you decide to quit smoking. And take it from me: NEVER con yourself into thinking you can “smoke just one.”
That thought leads to almost certain defeat.
Bobbi
