Observe Earth Day to Protect Vision

April 22^nd is the day Earth Day is observed annually. It was first celebrated in 1970 to promote environmental protection and is now recognized in 192 countries.

Extreme weather changes due to climate change have several negative effects on our health. Climate change contributes to:

·       Wildfires

·       Air pollution

·       Prolonged allergy seasons

·       UV damage from the depletion of the ozone layer

Wildfires can severely damage the eyes due to particulate matter made up of particles, embers, heavy metals, organic microorganisms, water vapor, and gases—many of which are toxic because wildfires burn everything in their path. Some of these particles are too small to be seen with the naked eye. Short-term effects of wildfires on the eyes include burning, stinging, tearing, and redness. Long-term effects can lead to dry eye syndrome, allergies, conjunctivitis, corneal damage, keratitis, and the aggravation of pre-existing conditions.

Air pollution arises from human civilization, industrialization, and globalization. Particulate matter (PM), nitrogen oxides (NOx), and carbon dioxide (CO2) are the primary contributors to air pollution, all of which have been proven to be harmful to human eyes.

Climate change has also caused prolonged allergy seasons. Rising temperatures attributed to climate change lead to longer allergy seasons, resulting in alarming and severe allergy events. These worsening allergy seasons can severely impact the eyes and overall quality of life. Some of the short-term effects of allergies on the eyes include:

·       Itchiness

·       Redness

·       Watery eyes

·       Blurred vision

UV damage to the eyes occurs due to the loss of ozone. The ozone layer acts as the planet's sunscreen, protecting us from the harmful effects of UV light from the sun. A significant decrease in ozone leads to more UV-B radiation reaching the Earth's surface, which can damage the eyes. Excessive exposure increases the risk of developing eye conditions such as:

·       Cataracts

·       Eye cancers

·       Growths on the eye

·       Snow blindness

·       Sunburned eyes

Earth Day is observed on April 22 and should be recognized every day. If everyone does their part to protect the environment, we could help reverse some of the pollutants that negatively affect our eyes.

Sources:

www.aoa.org

www.ophthalmologytimes.com

www.pmc.ncbi.nim.nih.gov

www.bbc.com

www.aao.org

 

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