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Glaucoma: Why Vision Loss Can Lead to Anxiety and Depression

by Swethapriya Sampath on Feb 10 2025 3:17 PM
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Glaucoma affects vision and mental health, increasing anxiety and depression, which can worsen the disease. Open communication and mental health support are crucial for managing symptoms.

Glaucoma: Why Vision Loss Can Lead to Anxiety and Depression
Glaucoma is an eye disease that causes vision loss and blindness by damaging the optic nerve. However, it can also impact mental health leading to anxiety and depression which can speed up the progression of the disease (1 Trusted Source
Glaucoma's Impact on Mental Health

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How Vision Loss Affects Mental Health

The fear of losing vision due to glaucoma can lead to stress and sadness. Research shows that up to one-third of people with visual impairments have mild depression. About 10.7% to 45% of glaucoma patients experience moderate to severe depressive symptoms.

Many glaucoma patients have more anxiety than depression due to the fear of losing vision or complete blindness. Some patients say that they fear more for losing vision than being diagnosed with cancer or paralysis.

According to Dr Leon Herndon, Jr, MD, division chief of glaucoma and professor of ophthalmology at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina, and past president of the American Glaucoma Society, open discussions between doctors and patients can help them overcome their fear of losing vision due to glaucoma.

Can Anxiety and Depression Make Glaucoma Worse?

A Korean study researched 251 glaucoma patients for two years and found that people with higher anxiety levels had faster vision loss, higher eye pressure, and more frequent optic nerve damage. The study highlights that glaucoma not only leads to stress and mental health issues but also makes the condition worse.

A German study examined the impact of glaucoma on sleep, anxiety, and depression. Patients with severe vision loss were compared to those with mild or no visual field defects (VFD) and found:
  • 18.3% of glaucoma patients with severe vision loss had depression and only 2.7% of glaucoma patients with no VFD.
  • 28.5% had high levels of anxiety, compared to 10.8%.
  • 75.5% of those with severe glaucoma had sleep disturbances, compared to 46% of those without VFD.
It is important to have hope and with proper care many people with glaucoma can protect themselves from vision loss. Doctors emphasize the importance of giving patients hope. With proper care, many people with glaucoma can retain their vision for years. Having access to social workers, vision therapy, and mental health support can make a big difference.

According to Dr Herndon, clear communication with patients can reduce their anxiety. They should be transparent of the stage of their disease on scale of 1 to 10. Reassure them that glaucoma progression caan be controlled with proper treatment and encourage them to take vision therapy and seek mental health support for those struggling emotionally. Treating eye and mental health can potentially improve the quality of life and slow disease progression.

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Reference:
  1. Glaucoma’s Impact on Mental Health - (https://www.brightfocus.org/resource/glaucomas-impact-on-mental-health/)


Source-Medindia



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