Current cigarette smoking is associated with a 76% higher risk of developing geographic atrophy, a subtype of age-related macular degeneration, compared to non-smoking status, based on pooled data from 13 observational studies involving over 37,000 participants.

Cigarette smoke introduces toxic chemicals into the bloodstream that damage cells in the back of the eye. These chemicals create excessive reactive molecules that overwhelm the eye's natural defenses, causing lasting harm to the layer of cells that support light-sensing cells. Over time, this damage kills the support cells, leading to irreversible blind spots in central vision.