Analysis Of Effects Of Ultraviolet (Uv) And Air Conditioning (Ac) On Cornea In Urban Population

Dr. Gowtham Ponnusamy Sivakumar1, Dr Divya N2, Dr Sindhiya D3

1PG Resident, Department of Ophthalmology, Saveetha Medical College And Hospital, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences, Thandalam, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
2Associate Professor, Department of Ophthalmology, Saveetha Medical College And Hospital, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences, Thandalam, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
3Senior Resident, Department of Pharmacology, Sri Muthukumaran Medical College Hospital and Research Institute, Chennai 600069

Received: ; Revised: ; Accepted: ; Available Online:

ABSTRACT

Background: Corneal health is greatly influenced by environmental variables. Long-term exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation and air-conditioned (AC) surroundings has become widespread due to urbanization, although the relative effects on the cornea are still not well understood.

Aim: To assess the effects of air conditioning (AC) use and ultraviolet (UV) exposure on ocular surface health in an urban population.

Method: The participants in this observational analytical study were those who visited an urban eye care facility. Participants were divided into two groups according to their major environmental exposure: an outdoor group that was primarily exposed to UV radiation, and an indoor group that was exposed to air conditioning for extended periods of time. Specular microscopy was used to measure corneal characteristics, such as endothelial cell density, corneal thickness, proportion of hexagonal cells, and corneal cell shape. A p value of less than 0.05 was deemed statistically significant when the independent two-sample t test was used to evaluate the data.

Results: The corneal morphology of the indoor (AC-exposed) and outdoor (UV-exposed) groups was similar. None of the assessed characteristics, including as endothelial cell count, corneal density, hexagonality, or corneal thickness, showed statistically significant variations between the two groups. Despite small numerical differences, there was no discernible correlation between environmental exposure and anatomical alterations in the cornea.

Conclusion: In healthy individuals, routine exposure to urban surroundings, such as UV radiation and air conditioning, does not seem to result in clinically or statistically significant changes in corneal morphology. To investigate the possible cumulative effects of long-term environmental exposure on corneal structure and function, larger studies with objective exposure assessment and long-term follow-up are advised.

Keywords: Cornea, Urban population, Ultraviolet radiation, Air-conditioning.

How to cite this article: Sivakumar GP, Divya N, Sindhiya D, Analysis Of Effects Of Ultraviolet (Uv) And Air Conditioning (Ac) On Cornea In Urban Population. Int J Drug Deliv Technol. 2026;16(4s): 322-327; DOI: 10.25258/ijddt.16.4s.42