University of Toronto researchers looked at 1.7million adults over 65 years old
Those in warmer areas were up to 44 percent more likely to have vision problems
Climate change may be speeding up the rate of blindness, a study suggests.
Canadian researchers compared rates of vision problems among 1.7million people across all 50 states in the US.
They found those who lived in warmer regions were up to nearly 50 percent more likely to suffer serious vision impairment compared to those in cooler places.
Exposure to stronger ultraviolet light damages the cornea, lens and retina and also risks irritation and infection.
The experts said the findings were ‘very worrying’ in the context of global warming, which has seen global average temperatures rise by two fahrenheit (1.1 Celsius) since the late 1800s.
Study co-author Esme Fuller-Thomson, a gerontologist at the University of Toronto, said: ‘With climate change, we are expecting a rise in global temperatures. It will be important to monitor if the prevalence of vision impairment among older adults increases in the future.’
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