Climatic shifts and vision: understanding the impact of climate change on ocular health
Keywords:
Ocular health, Heat, cold, hurricanes, rainfall, droughtAbstract
Climate change poses multifaceted challenges to global health. Among its lesser-known repercussions is the significant impact on ocular health. Firstly, climate change exacerbates air pollution, leading to an increase in airborne particulate matter and pollutants. These pollutants, including ozone, nitrogen dioxide, and fine particulate matter, can exacerbate ocular surface diseases such as dry eye syndrome, conjunctivitis, and allergic eye diseases. Moreover, prolonged exposure to air pollution has been linked to the progression of age-related macular degeneration and cataracts. Secondly, alterations in climate patterns contribute to the spread of infectious diseases, including vector-borne illnesses. Mosquito-borne diseases like dengue fever and Zika virus, whose prevalence is escalating due to changing climatic conditions, can cause ocular complications such as uveitis and retinitis. Thirdly, extreme weather events associated with climate change, such as hurricanes, floods, and wildfires, pose direct threats to ocular health. Traumatic injuries to the eyes, corneal abrasions, and chemical burns from debris and contaminated water are common ocular emergencies following such disasters. Furthermore, climate change-induced shifts in environmental allergens and pollen seasons heighten the incidence and severity of allergic conjunctivitis and other allergic eye diseases. Addressing these challenges requires interdisciplinary collaboration among public health experts, policymakers, ophthalmologists, and environmental scientists.
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