Key Takeaways
- The global burden of age-related macular degeneration increased between 1990 and 2020 despite declines in age-standardized rates.
- Higher exposure to air pollutants, particularly PM2.5 and ozone, was associated with greater AMD prevalence worldwide.
A global analysis found that the burden of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) increased between 1990 and 2020, with air pollution emerging as a potential contributing factor to higher AMD prevalence worldwide, according to a study.
A global ecological analysis using data from the Global Burden of Disease study evaluated national-level associations between AMD burden and environmental and lifestyle factors, including ambient air pollutants, household air pollution from solid fuel use, and smoking prevalence. Outcomes included disability-adjusted life years (DALYs), age-standardized DALYs, and age-standardized AMD prevalence from 1990 to 2020.
Although age-standardized DALYs and age-standardized AMD prevalence declined by 19.2% and 3.4%, respectively, significant correlations were identified between AMD prevalence and several pollution measures in 2020. Age-standardized AMD prevalence was positively correlated with particulate matter ≤ 2.5 μm (P < 0.001), ozone (P < 0.001), and household air pollution (P < 0.001). Smoking prevalence showed a significant negative correlation with AMD prevalence (P < 0.001).
In multivariable regression analyses, particulate matter ≤ 2.5 μm and ozone emerged as independent predictors of AMD prevalence, with odds ratios of 8.09 and 5.42, respectively (both P < 0.001).
Reference
Mimura T, Nishijima Y, Hasegawa D, et al. Global association between ambient air pollution and age-related macular degeneration: an ecological analysis across 203 countries. Environ Sci Pollut Res Int. 2026;doi: 10.1007/s11356-026-37869-8. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 42201532.
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