Smoking and Eye Pathologies. A Systemic Review. Part II. Retina Diseases, Uveitis, Optic Neuropathies, Thyroid-Associated Orbitopathy

Background: Tobacco smoking has detrimental influence on human health. Aim: The analysis of influence of tobacco smoking on retina diseases, uveitis, optic neuropathies, and thyroid-associated orbitopathy in adults and children. Methods: A comprehensive review of the literature performed through MEDLINE and PubMed searches, covering the years 2000-2016. Results: In adults, tobacco smoking is a strong risk factor for age-related macular degeneration, polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy, uveitis and inflamed cystoid macular edema as well as Grave`s ophthalmopathy. Tobacco smoking reduces thickness of the retina and choroid, plays a role in episcleritis, sclerits, tobacco optic neuropathy, and Leber's hereditary optic neuropathy. In children, maternal smoking is a significant risk factor for stages 3 and 4 retinopathy of prematurity, optic nerve hypoplasia among babies with a birth weight over 2500 g and thinner retinal nerve fiber layer. Conclusion: Tobacco smoking plays an important role in the pathogenesis of many posterior eye segment diseases leading to blindness in adults and children.