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Depression can worsen effects of AMD, study finds

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PHILADELPHIA — Depression can have a substantial disabling effect on the visual function of patients with age-related macular degeneration, according to a study conducted here. Recognition that depression can exacerbate the effects of AMD and is a treatable disorder can lead to improved outcomes, the study authors said.

Researchers at Wills Eye Hospital conducted a prospective study of 51 patients with recent-onset bilateral AMD. According to the report, 33% (17) of the patients were depressed at study baseline.

Depressed patients had worse visual acuity and greater levels of both vision-specific and general physical disability than nondepressed patients, study authors said. Patients were otherwise comparable in severity of medical disorders and demographic characteristics.

An increase in depressive symptoms predicted a decline in patient-assessed measures of visual function, independent of actual measured changes in visual acuity.

The study is published in the August issue of Archives of Ophthalmology.