Aside from lung disease and other potentially fatal health problems associated with the use of e-cigarettes, new studies have also linked eye problems to use of the devices, a Taipei doctor said.
A study by the American Academy of Ophthalmology linked e-cigarettes with the development of glaucoma and macular degeneration, Taipei Veterans General Hospital physician Lai Chih-kuan (賴志冠) said last week.
The chemicals in the oil used in e-cigarette devices were found to affect the eyes in ways similar to those found in traditional tobacco products, he said, adding that the oil’s nicotine content might also lead to high blood pressure, hastened heart beat and insulin resistance — a condition in which the body’s cells ignore the signal from insulin to extract sugar from the bloodstream for use as fuel.
Those who use e-cigarette products were also four times more likely to develop xerophthalmia — abnormal dryness of the conjunctiva and cornea of the eye, Lai said, citing the academy’s research.
Xerophthalmia is generally a precursor to more serious eye problems, he said.
One of the primary reasons that e-cigarettes might be so harmful to the eyes is that their ingredients cause the retinal veins to contract, Tri-Service General Hospital ophthalmologist Lu Da-wen (呂大文) said.
E-cigarette use in Taiwan is comparatively low, but the majority of users are younger, which means the harmful effects of the devices might not be seen as quickly, Lu said.
Younger people should not use e-cigarettes, as doing so might make them more likely to develop glaucoma when they get older, he said.
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