The British Journal of Ophthalmology interviewed more than 250 clubbers aged between 16 and 18 in Bournemouth, Winchester, Manchester and Southampton.

Asked to rate their fear of lung cancer, most scored it 3 out of 5, stroke 2 out of 5 but sight loss rated 4 out of 5.

Nine out of ten of those interviewed said they would give up smoking at the first sign of a problem with their sight.

Although more than 20% of young women and 15% of young males were smokers, only 2% of smokers knew that smoking increased the risk of age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

AMD is the most common cause of sight loss in the UK.

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