Objective: To compare the frequency of depression in low vision and normal vision patients.
Study Design: Comparative cross-sectional study.
Place and Duration of Study: Eye Department, Combined Military Hospital, Malir Cantt, Karachi Pakistan, from Dec 2017 to May 2019.
Methodology: Patients with low vision and normal vision were evaluated for depression. Initially, each patient underwent a complete Outpatient ophthalmological workup. Then, the patients were assigned to the low vision and normal vision groups,and after informed consent, each patient was to complete Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9).
Result: Two hundred and sixty-nine patients with low vision and 275 patients with normal vision were included in the study.One hundred and eighty-two (67.66%) patients with low vision and 71(25.82%) patients with normal vision were found to have significant depression (PHQ-9 score≥5). Depression was significantly more prevalent in the Low Vision-Group (p=<0.01).
Conclusion: Significantly high level of depression in the Low Vision-Group needs to be taken care of in ophthalmology departments. The ophthalmologist should not look into the eyes but treat the patients as human beings.
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