cat's eye problems

One of my housemate's cats has a problem with her eye.
Her name is Violet. See pictures...it can be red, and white cloud over her eye.
Karen--her owner--uses wipes on it, but I've lived there a little over a year and it has always been that way.
Is it the seasons, allergies, dust...Violet does like to try and sneak down into the basement..could that make it worse?
Karen does smoke in her room...could that make it worse?