Study finds that smoking could lead to uveitis

March 3, 2010

In addition to the multiple health risks that come with smoking, researchers have discovered yet another malady that could be a detrimental side effect of the bad habit - uveitis, a serious eye disease.

Research published in the journal Ophthalmology, found that not only can smoking lead to eye health problems such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and cataracts, but it may also cause inflammation of the eye known, which is known as uveitis.

The study found that smokers were 2.2 times more likely to develop uveitis compared to individuals who had never smoked before.

"Cigarette smoke includes compounds that stimulate inflammation within the blood vessels, and this may contribute to immune system disruption and uveitis," study leader Dr. Nisha Acharya said. If other research replicates the UCSF findings, uveitis risk would be another reason for healthcare providers to advise people to stop smoking."

Symptoms of uveitis include eye redness, blurred vision and pain caused by light. While smoking may increase an individual's chances of developing the disease, there is no clear cause for the eye condition for people with healthy lifestyles.