Air pollution is one of the factors that directly affect human health. This also applies to eye health. We know that the effect of air pollution triggers many eye diseases, especially dry eye. But does this also apply to cataracts, a slightly more complex disease? Is air pollution effective on cataract development? Let’s evaluate the issue in detail through scientific research.
Is Air Pollution Effective in Cataract Formation?
According to a scientific study published on the BMC Public Health platform and conducted in 2019, air pollution is among the indirect factors, although not directly.
The study found that individuals living in areas exposed to high levels of air pollution have higher cataract rates. In particular, it was observed that cataract formation was more common in areas with high levels of fine particulate matter such as PM10 and PM2.5. The reason for this is that pollution particles cause oxidative stress in the eye and are effective in the deterioration of the transparent lens structure.
According to the study, the prevalence of cataracts in individuals exposed to high levels of PM2.5 and PM10 particles increased by 15% to 20%.
This suggests that there is a direct relationship between air pollution and cataract formation. Of course, more scientific studies will be needed to determine the rates more clearly. The study includes data from 2019. If a similar study is conducted for 2024, higher levels of impact may occur.
Source
- https://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12889-022-14491-0
