People who switch from cigarettes to vaping or other non-combustible nicotine products may still face a higher risk of serious eye conditions than those who quit nicotine completely, according to a large South Korean study.

The research, based on South Korea’s national health insurance data, followed 32,316 former smokers for an average of 4.6 years. It found that those who used alternative nicotine products after quitting cigarettes had a slightly but consistently higher risk of developing vision-related diseases compared with people who stopped using nicotine altogether.

Researchers divided participants into two groups: former smokers who fully stopped nicotine use and those who moved to non-combustible nicotine alternatives, including vaping or similar products.

During the follow-up period, 6,328 new cases of eye disease were recorded. The rate was 41.1 cases per 1,000 person-years among those who quit nicotine entirely, compared with 44 cases per 1,000 person-years among users of alternative nicotine products.

The analysis found that alternative nicotine users had a 7 percent higher overall risk of eye disease. The increase was more noticeable for diabetic retinopathy, where the risk was 24 percent higher, and for vision-focusing problems.

The study was conducted by researchers at Korea University College of Medicine and published in the American Journal of Ophthalmology.

Health experts said the findings suggest that switching from cigarettes to nicotine alternatives may reduce exposure to smoke but does not necessarily remove all health risks linked to nicotine use.

The study adds to growing research on the long-term effects of vaping and other nicotine products, particularly among former smokers who use them after quitting cigarettes.

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