Hopefully, someone out there has heard of this. About six months ago I noticed blurred vision in my left eye. Thinking it was nothing more than age (I'm 50) and maybe needing glasses, I let it go until the blurriness started in both eyes. (which was about 2 months after it started in my left eye.) I went to the optamologist and after several test...blood, visual field, and mri...they still couldn't find a reason for this. Today I saw a neurologist and he suggested that I may have alcohol/tobacco myopia. I have smoked for about 35 years....used to smoke almost 3 packs a day (for about a year) before that heavy period I would smoke close to 2 packs a day and now am down to 1/2-1 pack a day. When the doctor suggested alcohol/tobacco myopia I asked him if that was it, why didn't I have this problem when I was smoking so heavy....why now when I'm smoking less than I ever have. He agreed that it's strange that it would happen now, IF that is what is causing my eye problems. I know all doctors need to stress to us smokers about the health risks and I know that I need to quit but eye problems??? The last thing he told me today was that if I don't quit I am going to end up using a cane...a cane that has a red tip on it. Didn't register with me what he meant until I got home but you can bet I will be doing a lot of research about smoking and blindness.
Thank you for any help that's out there.

PS -- My house is smoke free so it's not like I am sitting all day in a smokey house.

I have also been told that I am in danger of losing my sight due to smoking. The optician that I see is very anti-smoking and didn't pull any punches when telling me. He also mentioned the white cane! I am aware that smoking is bad for my health but I never realised that it could affect my eyes, nor did the other people that I have told.

I too will be doing lots of research on it.

i have noticed that sometimes after a night of drinking heavily (im 22) my eyesight seems worse the next day.. i thought i was imagining this, but could it be related to this alcohol/tobacco myopia?? ive never heard of this kind of thing!

OK, well there is a suggestion that alcohol/tobacco intake in high levels can cause an insufficiency in vitamin B1 levels amongst other things.
But, in all honesty, its one of those conditions that is 'flavour of the month' with some optometrists/ophthalmologists right now. There are those who strongly oppose and those who strongly agree.
Whatever your take on it, you will be hard pushed to find any rock solid evidence that was conducted on any large scale.
However, alcohol and tobacco aren't particularly healthy things to have anyway, lol (hypocrite - I smoke at least one pack a day) so you could do yourself a favour and try to quit. It cannot hurt, and who knows it may even help.
Good luck guys.
H :wave:

quit smoking and drinking and its not just your eyes, youll simply live longer and save $