[Dry eye disease in patients treated with antidepressants]

Dry eye disease is defined as a multifactorial disease of tears and ocular surfaces that causes discomfort, visual disturbance, and tear film instability with potential damage to the ocular surface. This study aimed to determine dry eye findings in patients with depression.

There were 40 patients with depression aged 18-65 years old. A comprehensive ophthalmic examination, including intraocular pressure and dry eye tests, was performed.

Among patients with depression 24 patients (70%) had dry eye syndrome. Compared with patients who did not have dry eye, the patients with dry eye were significantly older than the patients without dry eye (44 years old and 36 years old, respectively). Time in duration of depression in patients with depression and with dry eye lasted over 54 months and time of taking antidepressants was longer than 18 months and was significant, in comparing to the patients without dry eye (36 months and 10 months, respectively).

Dry eye is frequent disease in patients with depression, especially in older patients, who have longer duration of depression, and taking antidepressant medication for a longer period of time. Using of antidepressant may be cosidered as potential cause of dry eye syndrome.