CLIMATIC CHANGES IN THE EYES OF ESKIMOS, LAPPS AND CHEREMISSES

Chronic and acute climatic changes observed in the eyes of Eskimos and USSR Cheremisses are described. Chronic climatic lesions are more common in men than in women. Pterygium seems to be about equally common in Eskimos and Lapps. The occurrence of pinguecula was about the same in all three populations and much higher than in the urbanized Finns. Band‐shaped climatological corneal degenerations seem to be less common and less malignant among the Eskimo populations studied living in the regions at latitudes 70° than among those living in the more southern regions of Labrador. In January 1970 all the Eskimos who had been driving motor sledges were observed to have acute corneal and conjunctival epithelial lesions stainable with fluorescein.