LONDON: A recent UK study has found proof that air pollution might harm children’s eyes. The new study showed a link between exposure to pollutants like nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) and fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and a drop in distance vision among children.
Although we have known for some time that air pollution is linked to major health problems including more than 16,000 early deaths in children and 30,000 new This is the first instance researchers have indicated a link between pollution and how children’s vision grows in asthma occurrences every year.
Details indicate that lowering exposure to air pollution could help to reduce the likelihood of myopia (nearsightedness) in developing youngsters, according to the study team at the University of Birmingham.
Although research has linked myopia in children to genetics and screen time as risk factors, this is the first to present air pollution. Said Professor Zongbo Shi, co-lead author of the study, as a possible cause.
Particularly nitrogen dioxide and PM2.5, traffic-related pollutants were directly related in the study with a loss of children’s unaided near vision.
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These findings draw attention to yet another pressing public health problem, especially in view of growing congestion in cities and increasing global number of children needing vision correction.
