E-cigarette use linked to vision impairment: study

Aug.05.2022
E-cigarette use linked to vision impairment: study
A study found a 34% higher possibility of vision problems for e-cigarette users due to solvents causing oxidative stress.

A study titled "Association Between Electronic Cigarette Use and Visual Impairment in the United States" analyzed data from 1,173,646 adults aged 18 to 50 years old between 2016 and 2018. The results showed that electronic cigarette users were 34% more likely to develop visual impairment compared to non-users, and that their likelihood of developing visual impairment was 14% higher.


The team has demonstrated that solvents in e-cigarette liquids damage tear ducts and cause "oxidative stress" in the body, which is related to impaired vision.


A recent study published in the journal "Nicotine and Tobacco Research" by University of California, Los Angeles emphasized the relative safety of smokeless tobacco products and how transitioning from combustible cigarettes to these products could reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease among smokers.


The link between smokeless tobacco products and heart health


The study was conducted by a team of researchers from the University of California, Los Angeles, the University of California, San Francisco, Boston University, and the University of Texas at Arlington.


As part of the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health (PATH) study, researchers analyzed data from a nationally representative sample of 4,347 adults who provided urine and blood samples during 2013-14. Of these participants, 3,034 reported using cigarettes only, 338 reported using smokeless tobacco only, and 975 reported never using any tobacco products.


According to compiled data, biomarkers for disease in non-smokers of tobacco products are significantly lower despite similar nicotine levels. "Our findings suggest that, despite higher nicotine content, the concentration of inflammatory and oxidative stress biomarkers is significantly lower in non-smokers of tobacco products compared to smokers," said Mary Rezk-Hanna, assistant professor at the UCLA School of Nursing. She added that the levels of these biomarkers in non-smokers of tobacco products are similar to those of individuals who have never smoked.


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