Depression in patients with glaucoma as measured by self-report surveys

This study aimed to determine whether patients with glaucoma have more depressive symptoms than patients without glaucoma.

Prospective case-control study.

The study population was recruited from two university-based glaucoma clinical practices and a university-based general ophthalmology clinic and consisted of 121 patients with open-angle glaucoma, 42 with diagnoses of suspected glaucoma, and 135 with no chronic ocular conditions except cataract.

The Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) and Composite International Diagnostic Interview, Short Form (CIDI-SF) questionnaires were administered to all subjects. Demographic information, medical history, and responses to the questionnaires were elicited by an interviewer. Medical record review was performed to obtain clinical examination data and to substantiate the medical and demographic data obtained by the interviewer.

The questionnaire scores by diagnostic group, demographic characteristics, and medical history were examined. Secondary outcome measures were questionnaire scores in patients with glaucoma by visual impairment and glaucoma medication use.

Depression scores for patients with glaucoma did not differ significantly from scores of control patients. Having past or present mental illness was the only consistent predictor for depression in both questionnaires. Among glaucoma patients, visual acuity level, visual field severity, and use of topical beta-blockers were not predictors for depression.

Patients with glaucoma do not report being more depressed than patients without glaucoma as measured by the CES-D and the CIDI-SF questionnaires.