Eye health experts have marked No Smoking Day (9 March 2016) with a warning that smokers risk sight loss.

Every day in the UK 100 people start to lose their sight, yet, over half of all sight loss is avoidable and it’s smoking that is the biggest risk factor, with smokers up to four times more likely to lose their sight than non-smokers.

“Any amount of smoking, even light, occasional or second-hand, can affect your eye health and increase your chances of suffering sight-threatening eye diseases such as age-related macular degeneration and cataracts, as well as, conditions like dry eye syndrome, uveitis and impaired colour vision,” said David Cartwright, chairman of the Eyecare Trust charity and National Eye Health Week.

To help increase public awareness of the link between smoking and sight loss the Eyecare Trust and National Eye Health Week have launched the #20Ways social media campaign which highlights 20 ways that smoking damages your eyes and increases your risk of sight loss.

For full details of the #20Ways smoking can affect vision and increase the risk of sight loss, visit the vision matters website.