Pollution, a growing threat to our eyes

Dry eye, which affects around 30% of the population, is a pathology that is on the rise in today's society and is influenced by different habits (such as diet or the use of screens) and environmental factors, including: pollution. Air pollution is a growing problem with a global impact that, according to the WHO, affects the environment of 9 out of 10 people in the world, with significant consequences for health. Although its harmful effects on the respiratory and circulatory systems are well known, the IMO ophthalmologists warn that "there is still little awareness and information of its harmful impact on the eyes."

Dr. Míriam Barbany, a specialist in the Department of Cornea, Cataract and Refractive Surgery at IMO, points out that "the ocular surface is constantly exposed to the outside, so it is not immune to the toxic components that are present in polluted environments." In European cities, especially due to industrialization and traffic, the concentration of suspended particles can reach 7 times the international recommendations, while gases such as nitrogen dioxide can do so by up to 5.