On almost a daily basis, Stephanie Martich, OD, an optometrist and assistant professor at the University of Colorado Anschutz Department of Ophthalmology, sees patients who regularly smoke or vape — a habit that can be detrimental to the eyes.
Though cigarette smoking has reportedly dropped in popularity in the United States, it continues to be a habit for millions of Americans. Recent research published in The New England Journal of Medicine suggests that in 2024, nearly 25.2 million adults reported smoking cigarettes and almost 17.8 million reported using e-cigarettes. Vaping appears to be more prevalent among the younger crowd, with those between the ages of 18 and 24 reporting higher use of e-cigarettes than cigarettes.
As a comprehensive eye care specialist at the Sue Anschutz-Rodgers Eye Center, Martich helps treat a variety of ocular conditions including dry eye, diabetic retinopathy (high blood sugar levels cause damage to blood vessels in the retina), macular degeneration (deterioration of the central part of the retina called the macula), cataracts (lens of the eye becoming cloudy), and glaucoma (progressive eye disease characterized by damage to the optic nerve). All of these conditions can be exacerbated by smoking or vaping, she explains.
“We classically think of smoking as affecting the lungs and heart, but it can have serious detrimental effects to the eyes and lead to blinding eye conditions,” Martich says. “My job as an optometrist is to protect everyone’s vision, and I want them to be as diligent about protecting their eyes as I am.”
We recently spoke with Martich about how smoking and vaping can affect people’s eyes, the potential differences between the two, and how stopping these habits can immediately benefit the eyes.
The following interview has been edited and condensed.