Keeping an eye on climate change? Effects on vision health.

Climate change is a significant global issue characterized by rising temperatures, altered weather patterns, and increased frequency of extreme weather events. It can have immediate and serious implications for global health, both directly and indirectly. The latest reports suggest that several climatic factors can alter health parameters, many of which could directly impact ocular health. This review discusses how aspects of climate changes that include increased frequencies of severe weather events, such as floods, heatwaves, extreme temperatures, rising carbon dioxide, and rising sea levels, may influence ocular health. Similarly, air and water pollution, food scarcity, disruption of healthcare delivery systems and medical supply chains, as well as an increase in zoonoses and food-, water-, and vector-borne diseases can affect multiple organs, including the eyes. Reports suggest that the repercussions of climate change and its consequences can have a more substantial effect on a specific subset of people, including elderly, low-income, physically disabled, and malnourished populations. This review aims to provide a perspective on the relationship between climate change and its impact on human ocular health, including epidemiological shifts in the occurrence of ocular problems. This review also discusses how climatic shifts cause ocular problems and emphasizes their effects on specific population groups.