Relationship Between Visual Field, Intraocular Pressure, and Retinal Nerve Fiber Layer in Patients with Open-Angle Glaucoma and Depression Level

Abstract

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between depression levels and parameters such as intraocular pressure variability, visual field scores, and retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness in patients with primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG). Method: A total of 50 patients diagnosed with POAG were included in this study. All participants underwent a comprehensive ophthalmological evaluation including intraocular pressure measurements and retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness measurements using standard automated perimetry for visual field analysis and optical coherence tomography to assess the functional and structural damage caused by glaucoma. The Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) was administered to all participants to assess their depression levels. Results: There were no significant relationship between BDI scores and intraocular pressure, visual field, retinal nerve fiber analysis, or number of medications used in glaucoma patients. In the multiple linear regression analysis, the model was found to be statistically significant (F=3.805) and explained 25.3% of the variance in BDI scores. Conclusion: Patients with primary open-angle glaucoma exhibit mild depressive symptoms regardless of the severity of the disease’s impact on the eye, and that the level of depressive symptoms increases with age. This finding suggests that the development of depression in glaucoma may be associated not only with objective parameters of the disease but also with age and other personal factors.