Air pollution, long known for causing respiratory and cardiac diseases, is now being flagged by medical experts as a serious risk to eye health, with hospitals reporting a sharp rise in cases of eye infections, allergies, dryness and vision-related problems, particularly during winter months.<\/p>\n
Doctors say fine particulate matter, especially PM2.5<\/strong>, is the main cause behind problems such as allergic conjunctivitis, scratches on the eye surface, irritation, blurred vision and increased sensitivity to light.<\/p>\n \u201cEvery winter, we see a significant rise in patients complaining of red, itchy, watery and burning eyes. The main reason is high air pollution, especially fine particles known as PM2.5,\u201d said Dr Ajay Sharma<\/strong>, Co-founder of Eye Q Eye Hospital.<\/p>\n He explained that PM2.5 consists of tiny particles released from vehicle emissions, dust, burning waste and firecrackers. Due to their extremely small size, these particles easily enter the eyes and settle on the cornea \u2014 the transparent front layer of the eye.<\/p>\n \u201cSolid particles irritate and scratch the surface of the eye, while liquid pollutants carry chemicals that mix with tears and weaken the eye\u2019s natural protective layer. This leads to dryness, irritation, blurred vision and increased sensitivity to light,\u201d Dr Sharma said.<\/p>\n He added that children, elderly people, office-goers and patients who have recently undergone eye surgery<\/strong> are particularly vulnerable during the winter smog season.<\/p>\n Dr Taru Dewan<\/strong>, Head of the Department of Ophthalmology at RML Hospital, said winter pollution is especially harmful because smog lingers in the atmosphere for long periods.<\/p>\n \u201cAs smog engulfs the city, the eyes bear the brunt along with respiratory illnesses. We are seeing many patients with allergic conjunctivitis of varying severity. Cases of eye dryness also worsen due to constant exposure to smoke,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n She also warned that the risk of eye infection increases when people rub their eyes with unclean hands. \u201cI advise my patients to avoid polluted environments as far as possible and maintain proper hygiene. While individuals cannot control pollution alone, reducing pollution at one\u2019s own level can collectively make a difference,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n Dr Umesh Bareja<\/strong>, Senior Consultant (Ophthalmology) at Sitaram Bhartia Hospital, said eyes, being constantly exposed organs, are directly affected by pollution.<\/p>\n \u201cThe most common condition is allergic conjunctivitis, which causes redness, irritation and watering. Pollution also aggravates dry eye disease, especially in people who stare at screens for long hours or use contact lenses,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Dr Bareja also flagged smoking as a major risk factor. \u201cEven passive smoking damages eye health. Smoking increases the risk of cataract, glaucoma, uveitis and macular degeneration,\u201d he warned.<\/p>\n He stressed that public awareness and strong policy measures are needed to curb vehicular and industrial pollution, burning of waste and coal, deforestation and unregulated construction activity, adding that tobacco consumption should be avoided at all costs.<\/p>\n Dr JS Bhalla<\/strong>, North India Representative in the Scientific Committee of the All India Ophthalmological Society (AIOS), said both indoor and outdoor air pollution contribute to serious eye diseases.<\/p>\n \u201cHigh levels of PM2.5, while linked to neurological and heart diseases, can also contribute to adult and childhood glaucoma. We are witnessing nearly a 30 per cent increase in dry eye patients<\/strong> in outpatient departments,\u201d said Dr Bhalla, who is also a senior consultant at Perfect Eye Centre, Delhi.<\/p>\n Offering practical advice, Dr Anshika Luthra Sharma<\/strong>, Ophthalmologist and Cornea, Cataract and Refractive Surgeon at Eye Q Eye Hospital, said simple precautions can significantly reduce the impact.<\/p>\n \u201cPeople should wear wrap-around glasses when stepping outdoors, wash their face and eyes with clean water after returning home, avoid rubbing their eyes, stay well-hydrated and limit outdoor exposure on high-pollution days. If symptoms persist, they should consult an eye specialist instead of self-medicating,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Air pollution, long known for causing respiratory and cardiac diseases, is now being flagged by medical experts as a serious risk to eye health, with hospitals reporting a sharp rise in cases of eye infections, allergies, dryness and vision-related problems, particularly during winter months. Doctors say fine particulate matter, especially PM2.5, is the main cause […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3975,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[31],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-3976","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-national"},"yoast_head":"\n