Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40994635›Full record

ArticlePNAS nexus2025

Benefits of clean air for school children's vision health.

Xi Chen, Yuqing Dai, Ruihua Wei, Bei Du, Congchao Lu, A Robert MacKenzie, Nai-Jun Tang, Zongbo Shi, Hua Yan

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in PNAS nexus, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. The application of artificial intelligence in myopia prediction for children and adolescents: a review.Graefe's archive for clinical and experimental ophthalmology = Albrecht von Graefes Archiv fur klinische und experimentelle Ophthalmologie · 2026
    Review
  2. Exploring Characteristics and Systemic Health Links in Myopic Australian Adults.Ophthalmic & physiological optics : the journal of the British College of Ophthalmic Opticians (Optometrists) · 2026
    Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Xi ChenDepartment of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Tianjin Medical University, No. 22 Qixiangtai Road, Heping District, Tianjin 300070, China.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1185-9828
Yuqing DaiSchool of Geography, Earth and Environmental Science, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, United Kingdom.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8850-9527
Ruihua WeiTianjin Key Laboratory of Retinal Functions and Diseases, Tianjin Branch of National Clinical Research Center for Ocular Disease, Eye Institute and School of Optometry, Tianjin Medical University Eye Hospital, No. 251 Fukang Road, Nankai District, Tianjin 300384, China.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9708-0355
Bei DuTianjin Key Laboratory of Retinal Functions and Diseases, Tianjin Branch of National Clinical Research Center for Ocular Disease, Eye Institute and School of Optometry, Tianjin Medical University Eye Hospital, No. 251 Fukang Road, Nankai District, Tianjin 300384, China.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0947-1541
Congchao LuDepartment of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Tianjin Medical University, No. 22 Qixiangtai Road, Heping District, Tianjin 300070, China.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0793-6536
A Robert MacKenzieSchool of Geography, Earth and Environmental Science, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, United Kingdom.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8227-742X
Nai-Jun TangDepartment of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Tianjin Medical University, No. 22 Qixiangtai Road, Heping District, Tianjin 300070, China.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1177-252X
Zongbo ShiSchool of Geography, Earth and Environmental Science, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, United Kingdom.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7157-543X
Hua YanDepartment of Ophthalmology, Laboratory of Molecular Ophthalmology and Tianjin Key Laboratory of Ocular Trauma, Ministry of Education International Joint Laboratory of Ocular Diseases, Tianjin Institute of Eye Health and Eye Diseases, China-UK "Belt and Road" Ophthalmology Joint Laboratory, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin 300052, China.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7651-840X

Funding

Wellcome Trust 227150
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Myopia has become a significant public health concern among school-aged children in East Asia. A growing body of evidence acknowledges the multifactorial nature of myopia, including genetic susceptibility, lifestyle habits, and environmental influences. However, the specific role of air quality on vision remains poorly understood due to many confounding variables. Here, we applied an explainable machine learning framework with a large multifactorial cohort to identify key drivers of uncorrected visual acuity and to quantify the potential vision benefits of cleaner air in nearly 30,000 school-aged children. We show that, after controlling for potential confounders, lower ambient nitrogen dioxide and fine particles levels are independently associated with better vision. Primary school students and children with mild-to-moderate myopia benefit more from cleaner air than highly myopic or senior school students. These findings reinforce the emerging view that air pollution plays a significant and modifiable role in visual development. Importantly, our results uniquely indicate that early interventions to reduce air pollution exposure for younger children could yield greater benefits.

Indexed as

air qualityautomated machine learningenvironmental healthmyopiauncorrected visual acuity

Identifiers

PMID40994635
PMCPMC12455593

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.