Does Vaping Impact Eye Health?

The dangers and damaging health effects of vaping have been all over the media lately. More than 1,000 cases of a mysterious lung disease have been linked to the use of e-cigarettes, vape pens and similar devices, resulting in 18 deaths to date. We know that vaping has negative effects on the lungs, but we are only beginning to understand the impact of vaping on vision health.

“Vaping is not kind on your eyes” suggests the small-scale study The Tear Function in Electronic Cigarettes, published in the journal of Optometry and Vision Science, in September 2019. The research indicates a correlation between lower quality tear film and severe dry eye in the set of patients who used vaping products versus those who do not.  Based on these trends, researchers recommend additional studies to focus directly on the relationship between eye health and e-cigarettes.

Cigarette smoking increases the risks of several different eye conditions. These include:

• Dry eye
• Glaucoma
• Age-related macular degeneration
• Cataracts
• Diabetic retinopathy

It’s not clear whether vaping causes the same eye health concerns as regular cigarettes. Chemicals that are emitted in the vaping process include Nicotine, Formaldehyde, and Diacetyl.  These are chemicals that have also been linked to vision problems in regular cigarette smokers. Some doctors even suggest that the vision health risks of vaping may be up to four times greater than smoking regular cigarettes, though there have not been any long-term studies to prove this. However, vaping creates fumes that irritate the eye’s surface almost immediately. 

It's clear that more research needs to be done on the lasting impact of vaping on eye health. With the proven correlation between regular cigarette smoking and various eye diseases, it’s probable that links will also be found with vaping and e-cigarettes. Any doctor will tell you that the best way to avoid the increased risk from regular or e-cigarettes is to quit smoking or vaping, completely.