Association Between Dry Eye Disease and Depression: A Population-Based Study
Abstract
Objective: To evaluate the prevalence and potential association between dry eye disease (DED) and depression in a population-based cohort from northern India.
Material and Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out with 306 participants from northern India, utilizing two well-established tools: the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) to measure depression and the Dry Eye Questionnaire-5 (DEQ-5) to assess the symptoms of DED. The survey was conducted online through Google Forms. We determined the prevalence of depression among individuals with DED and categorized the severity of depression based on PHQ-9 scores into the following groups: asymptomatic (0–4), mild (5–9), moderate (10–14), moderately severe (15–19), and severe (≥20).
Results: Many participants frequently experienced a lack of interest or pleasure in activities (63.7%) and feelings of sadness and hopelessness (52%). Most alarmingly, daily thoughts of self-harm or being better off dead were reported by 28.6%. A significant proportion of participants, 82.2%, reported experiencing depressive symptoms. Most experienced moderately severe (31.0%) and severe (34.0%) depressive symptoms. A strong positive Pearson correlation was obtained between DED and depression (r=0.84, p-value<0.05), highlighting a significant association between ocular discomfort and mental health.
Conclusion: The findings indicate a significant association between dry eye disease and a higher likelihood of experiencing depression, particularly at moderate to severe levels. This highlights the importance of comprehensive patient assessments, which should include mental health evaluations, especially for those dealing with dry eye disease.
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