Aging is one of the biggest risk factors for developing glaucoma or cataracts — but as scientists look more closely at what happens to the eyes over a lifetime, they are finding that people's exposure to air pollution also plays a role in whether they develop these eye conditions.
Glaucoma, which affects about 80 million people worldwide, is a group of diseases that damage the optic nerve, which carries visual information from the eye to the brain. It can lead to permanent vision loss, usually affecting peripheral vision at first and later central vision. Cataracts are even more common, affecting more than 94 million people globally; the condition occurs when the eye's lens becomes cloudy, causing blurred vision and, eventually, blindness.
Aging raises the risk of both diseases, as do certain medical conditions, such as diabetes. But now, a review of 41 studies suggests that people who are exposed to higher levels of air pollution may als...
English (US)