Smoking can make you blind

Smoking can make you blind

Ng Wan Ching

Jun 01, 2008
The New Paper

NEARLY all the smokers in a survey here knew the habit can cause lung cancer. But only about a third knew it can cause blindness too.

These are the findings of a cross-cultural survey conducted by a group of investigators in Singapore and Scotland, released ahead of World No Tobacco Day tomorrow.

The study was conducted at Alexandra Hospital here and Ninewells Hospital in Scotland to compare the awareness of various smoking-related conditions, as well as attitudes towards the use of graphic health warning labels printed on cigarette packs.

In Singapore, 115 people were surveyed, and in Scotland, 105.

LOW AWARENESS

Results of the survey indicated that awareness levels for diseases such as lung cancer, heart disease, mouth and throat cancer and stroke were high, with more than 85 per cent of people being aware, in both populations.

Awareness of lung cancer was the highest, at 96 per cent in Singapore and 98 per cent in Scotland.

In comparison, the awareness of blindness as a smoking-related condition was much lower, with only 36.5 per cent of people being aware of it here and 30.5 per cent in Scotland.

'Cigarette smoking increases the risk of age-related macular degeneration by three- to four-fold and cataract by two- to three-fold,' said Associate Professor Au Eong Kah Guan, Head and Senior Consultant of the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences at Alexandra Hospital, and an investigator in the study.

Age-related macular degeneration is a deterioration in the health of the most sensitive part of the retina known as the macula. A cataract is a clouding of the normally clear crystalline lens in the eye.

Those who took part in the survey were also shown five Australian graphic health warning labels relating to smoking-related diseases and asked to grade the level of fear and disgust they felt.

Here, 39 per cent felt extremely fearful, while 26 per cent in Scotland felt that way.

Forty-one per cent here and 38 per cent in Scotland felt extremely disgusted. One quarter of the respondents in both populations said the labels would have no effect in preventing them from smoking or stopping smoking.

Said Ms Deborah Ng, a Singaporean studying medicine at Ninewells Hospital, who was involved in the study: 'A graphic health warning label communicating the risk of blindness from smoking, in addition to the ones already being circulated in Singapore, may just be the extra push some smokers need to quit smoking.'

Said Dr Srinivasan Sanjay, Registrar of the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences at Alexandra Hospital, another investigator in the study: 'Many people fear the loss of sight but are unaware that blindness is another smoking-related condition.'

FEAR BLINDNESS

Some international studies have shown that many people fear blindness more than lung cancer, said Assoc Prof Au Eong.

'For this reason, we have been in discussion with the Health Promotion Board (HPB) to add the warning 'Smoking causes blindness' on cigarette packs,' he said.

Graphic warning labels have been in circulation in Singapore since 2004 and were modified in 2006.

Australia is the only country which carries a graphic warning label which reads 'Smoking causes blindness'.

The survey was conducted in various outpatient clinics from November last year to February this year.

'HPB continually educates and empowers Singaporeans to quit smoking through ongoing public education programmes,' said Mr Lam Pin Woon, its chief executive officer.

One of these is a collaboration with Alexandra Hospital to equip optometrists with the skills and tools to provide quit smoking advice to their customers.

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Lung health roadshows for you

SIX community Race for Your Health roadshows will be held over three weekends starting from World No Tobacco Day tomorrow.

These roadshows will provide information about chronic obstructive lung disease.

Members of the public can also receive free basic health screening and professional quit-smoking advice.

Pharmacists trained in smoking cessation intervention will provide one-to-one counselling at these roadshows.