Air pollution may be affecting more than just heart and lungs. A new analysis of existing research suggests that exposure to polluted air, particularly fine particulate matter known as PM₂.₅, is associated with a higher risk of serious eye diseases, including glaucoma and cataracts. Researchers carried out a systematic review and meta-analysis to examine whether air pollution could be linked to common eye conditions, an area that has received far less attention than the well-established effects of pollution on cardiovascular and respiratory health.
The study was presented at the 44th Congress of the European Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons on Monday. To investigate the issue, they gathered and combined findings from 41 observational studies involving data from millions of people. The research included studies conducted in East Asia and the United Kingdom and drew information from some of the world's largest eye-health databases.
The authors stressed that the study does not prove air pollution directly causes glaucoma or cataracts. Because the analysis was based on observational studies, it can identify associations rather than establish cause and effect. The team examined exposure to several major air pollutants, including fine particulate matter (PM₂.₅), larger particulate matter (PM₁₀), nitrogen dioxide, sulphur dioxide, ozone and carbon monoxide, comparing pollution exposure with rates of glaucoma, cataracts and age-related macular degeneration (AMD).
The strongest evidence emerged for PM₂.₅, which consists of microscopic particles commonly found in smoke, vehicle exhaust and industrial emissions. According to the analysis, higher levels of PM₂.₅ exposure were consistently linked to a greater likelihood of developing glaucoma. Ahmed Alnabihi, author of the study from King Khaled Eye Specialist Hospital and Research Center in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, told Newsweek: "The strength and consistency of the fine particulate matter (PM2.5) findings stood out, particularly for glaucoma, where the association was statistically significant with low variability across studies, which is unusual in this kind of pooled analysis." The researchers found that people living in the most polluted areas had up to 70 percent higher odds of glaucoma compared with those living in the least polluted locations.
According to Alnabihi, for every meaningful increase in pollution exposure, the risk of glaucoma rose by around 8 percent. A similar pattern was observed for cataracts. People exposed to higher levels of pollution were found to face a greater risk of developing the condition, with the likelihood increasing as pollution levels rose.
Alnabihi said the risk of cataracts increased by approximately 4 percent for every meaningful increase in air pollution exposure. The findings were less clear when it came to age-related macular degeneration. Some of the studies included in the review reported a connection between air pollution and AMD, but the overall evidence was less consistent than that seen for glaucoma and cataracts.
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