01 July 2026
A new study published in the American Journal of Ophthalmology has compared the risk of developing eye disease among smokers who completely quit to smokers who switched to non-combustible nicotine or tobacco products – such as vapes and heated tobacco.
Researchers examined data for 179,273 adults within the Korean National Health Insurance Service.
The study cohort, who all reported smoking in 2011–2012, had quit smoking or switched to vapes by 2018–2019.
The scientists tracked the development of cataract, glaucoma, age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, and refractive and accommodation disorders among the study cohort during a follow up period of up to six years.
They found a slightly elevated (7%) risk of vision-threatening disease among those who switched to vapes compared to those who stopped using nicotine completely.
The elevated risk was highest for diabetic retinopathy – with switchers having a 24% higher risk of developing the condition compared to quitters.
The study authors highlighted that the findings challenge the assumption that substituting vapes for smoking is “visually harmless.”
“From an ophthalmic perspective, complete cessation of all nicotine products should remain the preferred cessation goal,” the authors noted.
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