Study Links Air Pollution to Children’s Vision Problems, Clean Air Seen as Protective

A new study suggests that air pollution may damage children’s eyesight, whereas clean air could help protect and even improve their vision.

According to researchers reporting in the journal PNAS Nexus, exposure to specific air pollutants—particularly nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and fine particulate matter (PM2.5)—was linked to a child’s ability to see clearly without glasses. While genetic factors and lifestyle habits, such as prolonged screen time, are known to be major contributors to myopia (nearsightedness), this research indicates that environmental factors are also significant.

The research team used advanced machine learning techniques to analyze air pollution exposure data from nearly 30,000 school-aged children. After accounting for other known risk factors for myopia, they discovered a clear association: lower levels of nitrogen dioxide and fine particulate matter were linked to better visual acuity.

The study also revealed that elementary school children and those with mild to moderate myopia benefited more from cleaner air than high school students or children with severe nearsightedness. This finding suggests that early intervention, before vision problems significantly worsen, could make a substantial difference.

While the study cannot definitively prove that air pollution causes myopia, it strongly highlights pollution as a major, controllable risk factor. Professor Zhongbo Shi from the University of Birmingham in the UK, who led the research team, stated in a release, “This study is among the first to focus on air pollution as a significant and modifiable risk factor in relation to childhood myopia.”

The researchers proposed several practical measures that could have a positive impact on children’s eye health, such as installing air purifiers in classrooms, creating “clean air zones” around schools to reduce traffic pollution, and closing streets to cars during school drop-off and pick-up times.

“Clean air benefits not only respiratory health but also visual health,” Professor Shi emphasized.

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