2023-07-25 10:00:00
According to a French study conducted by Inserm, exposure to a high concentration of pollutants might increase the risk of glaucoma.
Par Johanna Amselem
© EMMANUEL JACQUES / Hans Lucas / Hans Lucas via AFP
Published on
Dirritations, respiratory problems, etc. The problems caused by air pollution are already well known. Here is another. According to a study conducted by researchers from Inserm (National Institute for Health and Medical Research) and the University of Bordeaux, prolonged exposure to fine particles might promote ocular aging. A phenomenon that might lead to glaucoma. This neurodegenerative disease of the optic nerve is characterized by a thinning of the nerve fiber layer of the retina, it is also the second cause of blindness in the world.
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This is the first prospective study carried out on this subject, it was conducted with a cohort of 683 elderly people from Bordeaux, whose follow-up lasted ten years. During this period, eye examinations were frequently carried out in order to measure the evolution of the thickness of the layer of nerve fibers of the retina. And the results are irrevocable.
READ ALSOAir pollution: how did we classify all the municipalities? The scientists highlighted “accelerated thinning of the nerve fiber layer of the retina in people more exposed to air pollution, in particular those who had a greater exposure to fine particles (particles with a diameter less than 2, 5 microns = PM2.5). This study therefore suggests a possible increase in the risk of glaucoma for the inhabitants of areas polluted with fine particles, even at levels below the current regulatory thresholds of the European Union. [25 microgrammes/m3, NDLR] “, Details the press release from Inserm. These findings were published in the journal Environmental Research.
Lower regulatory thresholds
“The results of this study confirm previous observations on the effects of air pollution on neurodegenerative processes, here at the ocular level. They constitute an additional argument in favor of lowering the European regulatory thresholds, as recommended by the WHO, as well as reducing the effective exposure of the French population, which continues to exceed the current regulatory thresholds in places. , reports Laure Gayraud, doctoral student in epidemiology and first author of the study.
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“More generally, our study documents the effects of air pollutants on neurological aging. Taking the example of ocular aging, she suggests that exposure to high concentrations of pollutants over time might lead to an acceleration of neurological aging, as observed in studies on brain aging,” explains Cécile Delcourt, research director at Inserm and last author of this work.
Last April, a report by the European Environment Agency (EEA) revealed that air pollution caused the premature death of at least 1,200 children and adolescents each year in Europe.
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