This Article  • Full text  • PDF  • Reply to article  • Send to a friend  • Save in My Folder  • Save to citation manager  • Permissions  Citing Articles  • Citation map  • Citing articles on HighWire  • Citing articles on ISI (47)  • Contact me when this article is cited  Related Content  • Similar articles in this journal  Topic Collections  • Aging/ Geriatrics  • Macular Degeneration  • Psychiatry  • Depression  • Quality of Life  • Alert me on articles by topic  Social Bookmarking   What's this?

Barry W. Rovner, MD; Robin J. Casten, PhD; William S. Tasman, MD

Arch Ophthalmol. 2002;120:1041-1044.

Objectives  To report the prevalence rate of depression in older patients with recent vision loss due to age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and to describe the effect of depression on self-reported vision function during 6 months.

Methods  Prospective cohort study of 51 older patients with recent-onset bilateral AMD attending the Retina Clinic of Wills Eye Hospital, Philadelphia, Pa. Main outcome measures included the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale, visual acuity, Functional Vision Screening Questionnaire, Chronic Disease Score, and Community Disability Scale.

Results  Seventeen patients (33%) were depressed at baseline and had worse visual acuity (P = .04) and greater levels of vision-specific (P = .03) and general (P = .002) physical disability than nondepressed patients. The correlations of Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale score with visual acuity and visual-specific disability, however, were not significant after controlling for general physical disability. An increase in depressive symptoms over time predicted decline in self-reported vision function independent of changes in visual acuity or medical status (P<.05).

Conclusions  The prevalence and disabling effects of depression in older patients with AMD are substantial. Recognizing that depression is a treatable disorder that exacerbates the effects of AMD will lead to improved outcomes. Innovative interventions to prevent or treat depression in specialty eye clinics are possible.

From the Departments of Psychiatry and Human Behavior (Drs Rovner and Casten) and Ophthalmology (Dr Tasman), Jefferson Medical College, Thomas Jefferson University, and Wills Eye Hospital (Dr Tasman), Philadelphia, Pa.

CiteULike    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati     What's this?

THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES

Longitudinal Incidence of Adverse Outcomes of Age-Related Macular Degeneration
Wysong et al.
Arch Ophthalmol 2009;127:320-327.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Impact of Vision Loss on Costs and Outcomes in Medicare Beneficiaries With Glaucoma
Bramley et al.
Arch Ophthalmol 2008;126:849-856.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Preventing Depression in Age-Related Macular Degeneration
Rovner et al.
Arch Gen Psychiatry 2007;64:886-892.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Anxiety and Depression Prevalence Rates in Age-Related Macular Degeneration
Augustin et al.
IOVS 2007;48:1498-1503.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Impact of age related macular degeneration on quality of life
Hassell et al.
Br. J. Ophthalmol. 2006;90:593-596.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Vision and Quality of Life: The Development of a Utility Measure
Misajon et al.
IOVS 2005;46:4007-4015.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Responsiveness of the National Eye Institute Visual Function Questionnaire to Progression to Advanced Age-Related Macular Degeneration, Vision Loss, and Lens Opacity: AREDS Report No. 14
Age-Related Eye Disease Study Research Group
Arch Ophthalmol 2005;123:1207-1214.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Age-Related Eye Disease, Quality of Life, and Functional Activity
Knudtson et al.
Arch Ophthalmol 2005;123:807-814.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Psychological Disturbance in Graves Ophthalmopathy
Farid et al.
Arch Ophthalmol 2005;123:491-496.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Self-management of Age-related Macular Degeneration at the 6-Month Follow-up: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Brody et al.
Arch Ophthalmol 2005;123:46-53.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Development and Pilot Evaluation of a Psychosocial Intervention Program for Patients With Age-Related Macular Degeneration
Birk et al.
Gerontologist 2004;44:836-843.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

When Treatment Fails: Caring for Patients With Visual Disability
Gieser
Arch Ophthalmol 2004;122:1208-1209.
FULL TEXT  

Age-Related Macular Degeneration: Treating the Whole Patient
Tasman and Rovner
Arch Ophthalmol 2004;122:648-649.
FULL TEXT  

Preventing and Managing Visual Disability in Primary Care: Clinical Applications
Goldzweig et al.
JAMA 2004;291:1497-1502.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Relationship Between Self-reported Depression and Self-reported Visual Function in Latinos
Paz et al.
Arch Ophthalmol 2003;121:1021-1027.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Helping Patients Experience the Emotions of Vision Loss
Fong et al.
Arch Ophthalmol 2003;121:1041-1042.
FULL TEXT