University of Waterloo reported in 2011 that fewer than 10 per cent of people know that smoking causes sight-threatening eye disease . They found a variety of tobacco prevention and cessation programs across Canada , but none that included any information or explicit content about eye disease caused by smoking . Ask a public health unit for information about smoking and blindness and you ’ re likely to get very little .
Optometrists , on the front lines of sustaining healthy vision , are usually the first to detect tobacco ’ s effects on eye sight . Theses professionals are now getting help to change the public ’ s paltry perception of this health problem .
Health Canada introduced its first cigarette package warning linking smoking to blindness in 2012 . The picture shows eyelids retracted to expose an eyeball and a hypodermic needle inserted into the eye .
“ It ’ s certainly a catchy image ,” says Dr . Kennedy , who has coauthored several papers about smoking , healthy vision and optometry . He ’ s optimistic the new warning label has already increased public knowledge about the link between smoking and eye disease .
Most smokers know smoking causes lung cancer , heart disease and stroke . But while their knowledge of the link between tobacco and eye disease is low , their fear of blindness is not . British studies found teens fear blindness more than lung cancer , heart disease and stroke .
“ Going blind is a very easy thing to understand ,” says Dr . Kennedy . “ We can all understand what our lives would be like if we were blind .”
That fact may give health practitioners an edge in helping people quit smoking . Cigarette package warnings and studies about smoking and eye health might help prevent people from starting to smoke , Dr . Kennedy predicts .
Optometrists are good at health education and their service model allows time for counselling , more than many other health professionals , Dr . Kennedy says . This summer a new continuing education program at the University of Waterloo will show eye care professionals how to support patients who want to quit smoking .
“ We need to get the tools to eye care professionals so that it makes these conversations and discussions easier ,” Dr . Kennedy says .
Health specialists will learn more than just the medical statistics about smoking , they ’ ll learn about people who smoke and what will potentially help them to quit .
“ They need to know about cessation services and how effective they are . They need to be able to answer questions ,” Dr . Kennedy says .
Organizers hope to put the program on line and make it accessible to optometrists and other health care providers across Canada .
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