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OJHAS: Vol. 1, Issue
3: (2002 Jul-Sep) |
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| Tobacco and Intra Ocular Pressure |
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Kishore Krishna I.
Consultant Ophthalmologist,
Vision Foundation, Mangalore - 575002.
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Address For Correspondence |
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Dr. Kishore Krishna I.
Consultant Ophthalmologist,
Vision Foundation, Mangalore - 575002.
E-mail: kishorvision@rediffmail.com
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| Kishore Krishna I. Tobacco and Intra Ocular Pressure. Online J Health Allied Scs.2002;3:1 |
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Submitted: Oct 10,
2002; Accepted: Oct 13, 2002; Published: Oct 17, 2002 |
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| Abstract: |
Glaucoma is an optic nerve disorder caused by raised intraocular
pressure. Among many drugs and agents causing glaucoma, tobacco has been
found to be one of the important agents. It is important for the clinical
practitioners as well as the general population to be aware of the ill
effects of tobacco on ocular circulation and intra ocular pressure.
Key Words:
Tobacco; intra ocular pressure; glaucoma |
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laucoma is an optic nerve disorder characterised
by optic disc cupping resulting in progressive arcuate visual field defects ultimately
resulting in irreversible blindness. This condition is most often caused by raised
intraocular pressure (IOP) due to poor out flow of aqueous humor. The outflow obstruction
could occur at the trabecular meshwork of the anterior chamber angle or subsequently in
the episcleral veins due to raised venous pressure.
Among many drugs and agents causing
glaucoma by various mechanisms tobacco has been found to be one of the important agents.
Cigarette smoking has been associated with immediate / rapid transient rise in intra
ocular pressure. It has been hypothesised that nicotine/tobacco induced vasoconstriction
leads to raised episcleral venous pressure, thereby reducing aqueous outflow and hence
rise in IOP.(1) Smokers with primary open angle glaucoma when stopped smoking for one
month were found to have a decrease in IOP of 2-7 mmHg.(2) Several studies have been done
in this regard. Wilson et al have reported a definite relation between glaucoma and
cigarette smoking.(3)
The present study by Eghosasere
Iyamu (4) relating smokeless tobacco and elevated IOP done on non glaucomatous young
adults has been an effort to establish the relation between tobacco and IOP. Since tobacco
is used as a snuff and gets directly absorbed into the circulation, episcleral venous
pressure elevation is immediate and a rise in IOP is noted by one minute. Habitual tobacco
users on repeated tobacco sniffing (which is a social custom in certain parts of the
world) or repeated consumption over a day could have an effect on optic nerve head over a
period of time.
Hence it is important for the clinical
practitioners to be aware of the ill effects of tobacco on ocular circulation and IOP in
glaucoma as well as the general population.
Further studies in this regard involving
glaucoma as well as normal population is required to establish a definite relation, if
any, between IOP, glaucoma and tobacco as Shephard et al (5) and Klein et al (6) reported
no relationship between tobacco smoking elevated IOP and glaucoma.
- Mehra KS, Ray PN, Khara BB. Tobacco
smoking and glaucoma. Ann. Ophthalmol. 1976; 8:462.
- Attia H, Bakir M, Abdel Rehaman, H.
Tobacco in relation to glaucoma. Bull Opthalmol Soc Egypt. 1978; 71.
- Wilson MR et al. Arch. ophthalmal. 1987;
105:1066.
- Eghosasere Iyamu, Edgar Ekure, Eki Oghre.
The Effect of Smokeless Tobacco on Intra-Ocular Pressure in a Nigerian Population. Online
J Health Allied Scs 2002; 3:2
- Shephard RJ et al. Effects of cigarette
smoking on IOP and vision. BJO. 1978; 62:682.
- Klein BEK et a;. Relationship of drinking
alcohol and smoking to prevalence of open angle glaucoma: The Beaver Dam Eye Study.
Ophthalmology. 1993; 100:1609.
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