Protecting eyes from air pollution

CPD
1
30 July 2020
Summer 2020
AMD Children Glaucoma Public health

Becky McCall looks at how the latest research has linked air pollution with eye health, and the advice to give patients on how to protect themselves.

Domains covered

Communication Clinical practice

Economic output has plunged during the COVID-19 lockdown, but a positive outcome has been the attendant drop in outdoor air pollution. The results are startling: in the year between 26 March 2019 and 26 March 2020, levels of traffic-related pollutant nitrogen dioxide (NO2) more than halved in major UK cities (Khoo, 2020).

But ‘normal’ life will resume, businesses will reopen, and roads will once again be clogged with traffic. Consequently, levels of air pollution will rise and health will suffer – and eye health is no exception. 

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