Depression was linked with more severe dry eye disease (DED) symptoms and overall signs, implying that those who have depression and moderate-to-severe DED may have a strong possibility of having more severe DED, reports JAMA Ophthalmology.

“Many of our patients with or without dry eye disease suffer from depression,” says Optometric Management’s “Dry Eye” columnist, Cecelia Koetting, OD, FAAO. “There is a well-known correlation between DED and worsening signs and symptoms, due to systemic medication. Many of the medications used for depression and anxiety have been shown to cause or exacerbate DED. So I don’t think that it is a new addition to DED evaluation to look at what medications and concomitant systemic problems our patients are diagnosed with, but is an important one to remember to include.”

The study, which was comprised of 535 subjects with a mean age of 58 and whom 81% were women and 75% were white, reveals that those who screened positive for depression had worse DED symptoms, as provided by the Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI), with worse depression associated with an even higher OSDI score, at baseline, six months and one year, the researchers say.

The study was a secondary, cross-sectional and longitudinal assessment carried out from April 2020 to Dec. 2020 of Dry Eye Assessment and Management (DREAM) clinical trial data. Those positive for depression scored a 42 or below on the mental component summary of a 36-item short form health survey.

The researchers note that further study is needed to fully establish the relationship between depression and DED. OM

1. Yi Zhou BA, Murrough J, Yinxi Y, MS, et al. Association Between Depression and Severity of Dry Eye Symptoms, Signs, and Inflammatory Markers in the DREAM Study. JAMA Ophthalmol. Published online March 10, 2022. doi:10.1001/jamaophthalmol.2022.0140.