Micro/nanoplastics and eye health: a review

Micro/nanoplastics (M/NPs) have become pervasive environmental pollutants, posing significant risks to human health through various exposure routes, including ingestion, inhalation, and direct contact. This review systematically examined the potential impacts of M/NPs on ocular health, focusing on exposure pathways, toxicological mechanisms, and resultant damage to the eye. Ocular exposure to M/NPs can occur via direct contact and oral ingestion, with the latter potentially leading to the penetration of particles through ocular biological barriers into ocular tissues. The review highlighted that M/NPs can induce adverse effects on the ocular surface, elevate intraocular pressure, and cause abnormalities in the vitreous and retina. Mechanistically, oxidative stress and inflammation are central to M/NP-induced ocular damage, with smaller particles often exhibiting greater toxicity. Overall, this review underscored the potential risks of M/NPs to ocular health and emphasized the need for further research to elucidate exposure mechanisms, toxicological pathways, and mitigation strategies.