Depression and Quality of Life in Patients with Glaucoma

To investigate the frequency of depression and quality of life in patients with glaucoma.

This cross-sectional study included 204 patients (102 males and 102 females) with a mean age of 58.9±11.96 and a range of 40 to 85 years old. Achromatic perimetry was performed, using the HFA SITA-standard 24-2. Severity was stratified according to the Nelson Glaucoma Severity Scale (based on the degree of binocular visual field loss). Participants answered the Persian version of the NEI VFQ-25 and the depression part of the Persian version of the DASS-21. The mean score of each patient's response to depression and quality of life questionnaire were assessed and the frequency of depression among glaucoma subjects and mean the quality of life score in three groups of glaucoma were determined. In this study, patients with depression, who were under the supervision of a psychiatrist and using anti-depression drugs, patients with chronic physical conditions such as MS and Parkinson's or chronic eye diseases such as advanced cataracts, diabetic retinopathy, and Macular Degeneration were excluded from the study population.

The frequency of depression was 40.2% and the mean score of quality of life in these patients was 79.83 ± 19.77. The prevalence of depression in women with glaucoma was higher. People with severe glaucoma showed a lower quality of life and higher levels of depression.

Depression is common among patients. With increasing the severity of disease, their quality of life decreases and their depression increases. This is more likely in women with glaucoma.