Dear EarthTalk: What’s the connection between global warming and increased eye problems for humans?
—Pauline Mercy, Wilmington, NC
When most people think of global warming, they picture melting glaciers, intense heat waves, or rising seas. What is less widely recognized is the growing impact of climate change on human eye health. Rising global temperatures, worsening air quality, shifting disease patterns, and increasing water scarcity are all contributing factors that heighten the risk of eye-related problems worldwide. As the atmosphere warms and the ozone layer thins in some regions, people are exposed to more intense ultraviolet radiation. This type of radiation has been strongly linked to conditions such as cataracts, macular degeneration, and pterygium, also known as “surfer’s eye.” Dr. Anne Lynch of Stony Brook University notes, “The eyes, like the skin, are vulnerable to UV damage—and we’re seeing an uptick in related conditions as temperatures rise globally.” In other words, the same sunlight that burns the skin can also quietly damage vision…