Expert:: Climate change can increase risk of cataract blindness

According to an expert, climate change will increase the risk of people losing their sight through cataracts because of higher levels of ultraviolet rays.

Andreas Mueller of the Fred Hollows Foundation went on to say:

The three main risk factors that lead to cataract blindness are age, smoking and UV exposure, in that order.

Climate change will increase UV levels and therefore increase the risk of developing cataracts.

A spokesman for the foundation, which works mostly in developing countries to restore sight to people with cataracts, said the increased exposure to ultraviolet rays would be caused by depletion of the ozone layer.