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Alcohol and tobacco amblyopia
Medical expert of the article
Last reviewed: 07.07.2025
Alcohol-tobacco amblyopia usually develops in alcoholics and tobacco smokers who have a deficiency of protein and B vitamins. Most patients violate the diet, getting calories mainly from alcohol.
Alcohol-tobacco amblyopia is manifested by gradual, progressive, bilateral, usually symmetrical deterioration of vision and dyschromatopsia.
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Symptoms of alcohol-tobacco amblyopia
The optic disc is normal at the onset of the disease in most cases. Some patients have mild temporal pallor, streaky hemorrhages on or around the disc, and slight disc edema.
Visual field defects: bilateral symmetrical centrocecal scotomas. The edges of the defects are difficult to determine with a white object, easier with a red one, since its area is larger.
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Treatment of alcohol-tobacco amblyopia
Weekly injections of 1000 units of hydroxycobalamin for 10 weeks and multivitamins. Patients should eat a balanced diet and abstain from alcohol and smoking.
The prognosis is good at the onset of the disease and if the patient is treated, but vision may recover slowly. In advanced and refractory cases, persistent vision loss is associated with the development of optic nerve atrophy.