Prevalence of depression and its effect on disability in patients with age-related macular degeneration

Aims:

To estimate depression in patients with age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and study therelationships among depression, visual acuity, and disability.

Materials and Methods:

It was a cross-sectional study with consecutive sampling (n = 53) of patients withAMD aged 50 years and above attending the retina clinic of a tertiary care hospital in North India. Depression,general disability and vision-specific disability were assessed in subjects meeting selection criteria.Assessments were done using the fourth edition of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of mental disorders(DSM- IV) Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS), Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis -I Disorders,Clinical Version (SCID-CV), World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule-II (WHODAS-II) andDaily Living Tasks dependent on Vision scale (DLTV). Non-parametric correlation analyses and regressionanalyses were performed.

Results:

Out of 53 participants, 26.4% (n = 14) met DSM-IV criteria for the diagnosis of depressive disorder.Depressed patients had significantly greater levels of general and vision-specific disability than non-depressed patients. General disability was predicted better by depression and vision-specific disability thanby visual acuity.

Conclusion:

Depression is a major concern in patients with AMD and contributes more to disability thanvisual impairment.