Depression can lead to severe dry eye symptoms: JAMA

USA: In a new study, it was found that depression was linked to more severe dry eye symptoms and overall signs, implying that among patients with moderate to severe dry eye disease (DED), those who were depressed were more likely to have severe DED.

Depression is more common in DED patients than in the general population; nevertheless, the relationship between DED severity and depression requires additional investigation. As a result, Yi Zhou and colleagues undertook this study to evaluate the relationship between depression and the severity of DED symptoms and indicators, including inflammatory markers. The findings of this study were published in the Journal of American Medical Association - Ophthalmology.

For this research longitudinal analysis and Secondary cross-sectional data from the Dry Eye Assessment and Management (DREAM) project, a randomized clinical trial that lasted from October 2014 to July 2016 and included patients with moderate to severe DED symptoms and signs, from April to December 2020. 535 individuals were enrolled from 27 academic and private ophthalmology and optometry facilities in 17 US states and were followed up for a year. Participants screening positive for depression if they scored 42 or fewer were taken for the study on the Mental Component Summary (MCS) of the 36-Item Short Form Health Survey.