Ocular surface adverse effects of ambient levels of air pollution

Arquivos Brasileiros de Oftalmologia

André Augusto Miranda Torricelli¹  Priscila Novaes¹  Monique Matsuda¹  Milton Ruiz Alves¹  Mário Luiz Ribeiro Monteiro¹ 

[1] ,Universidade de São Paulo Division of Ophthalmology Laboratory for Investigation in Ophthalmology São Paulo SP ,Brazil

关键词: Air pollutants;    Environmental exposure;    Eye manifestations;    Cornea;    Conjunctiva;    Irritants;    Air pollution;    Climate;    Flourescent dyes;    Poluentes do ar;    Exposição ambiental;    Manifestações oculares;    Córnea;    Conjuntiva;    Irritantes;    Poluição do ar;    Clima;    Corantes fluorescentes;   

DOI  :  10.1590/S0004-27492011000500016

来源: SciELO

【 摘 要 】

It is widely recognized today that outdoor air pollution can affect human health. Various chemical components that are present in ambient pollution may have an irritant effect on the mucous membranes of the body, particularly those of the respiratory tract. Much less attention has been focused on the adverse effect on the ocular surface, despite the fact that this structure is even more exposed to air pollution than the respiratory mucosa since only a very thin tear film separates the corneal and conjunctival epithelia from the air pollutants. So far, clinical data are the more widespread tools used by ophthalmologists for assessing possible aggression to the ocular surface; however, clinical findings alone appears not to correlate properly with the complaints presented by the patients pointing out the need for further clinical and laboratory studies on the subject. The purpose of this study is to review signs and symptoms associated with chronic long-term exposure to environmental air pollutants on the ocular structures currently defined as the ocular surface and to review clinical and laboratory tests used to investigate the adverse effects of air pollutants on such structures. We also review previous studies that investigated the adverse effects of air pollution on the ocular surface and discuss the need for further investigation on the subject.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
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