Recent research has shown that individuals who smoke have a 2.2 times higher odds than those who had never smoked of having ocular inflammation, with all anatomic subtypes of uveitis associated with a positive smoking history.

In the study, a positive smoking history had an odds ratio of 1.7 (P =.002) for anterior uveitis; 2.7 (P = .005) for intermediate uveitis; 3.2 (P = .014) for posterior uveitis; and 3.9 (P < .001) for panuveitis.

The odds ratio for panuveitis and cystoid macular edema (CME) was 8.0; for those without CME, it was 3.1, according to the study.

“A history of smoking is significantly associated with all anatomic subtypes of uveitis and infectious uveitis,” the study authors said.

“The association was greater in patients with intermediate uveitis and panuveitis with CME compared with those without CME. In view of the known risks of smoking, these findings, if replicated, would give an additional reason to recommend smoking cessation in patients with uveitis.”

The retrospective case-control medical record review looked at 564 patients who had ocular inflammation and 564 randomly selected eyeclinic subjects. All patients were seen at the Proctor Medical Group between 2002 and 2009.

The study employed a logistic regression analysis. Ocular inflammationwas the main outcome variable, and smoking was the main predictor variable variable, with adjustments for age, gender, race and median income.

So if you are a smoker and you have birdshot, you know what you should be trying to do!  It’s obvious smoking can’t help.

Ophthalmology. 2010;117(3):585-590.