Hyperopia and Clinically Significant Depression

The risk of incident clinically significant depression (CSD) was significantly linked to hyperopia regardless of the genetic predisposition as per a recent study that was published in the journal British Journal of Ophthalmology.

Hyperopia is a common refractive condition that can be corrected with proper assessment and interventions. Its effect varies depending on the individual age and the status of the accommodative and convergence system along with the demand placed on the visual system. Recent literature shows that hyperopia is linked to clinically significant depression. Hence researchers conducted a study to investigate the association between hyperopia and clinically significant depression (CSD) in middle-aged and older individuals and also to explore the effect of genetic determinants of hyperopia on incident CSD.

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From the UK Biobank, all the participants who had available data on mean spherical equivalent (MSE) and were free of depression at baseline were included in the study. For the phenotypic association, hyperopia was defined as MSE of +2.00 dioptres (D) or greater, and was divided into mild, moderate, and high groups. Diagnosis of CSD across follow-up was determined based on electronic hospital inpatient records. For the genetic association analysis, the association between hyperopia Polygenic Risk Score and incident CSD was assessed. Mendelian randomization was assessed for causality association.

Results:

• Over a median follow-up of 11.11 years, hyperopia was significantly associated with incident CSD independent of genetic risk compared with emmetropia participants, especially in those hyperopic patients without optical correction.
• Participants in the high degree of hyperopia were more likely to have incident CSD than participants in the mild degree of hyperopia.
• Genetic analyses did not show any significant associations between hyperopia and incident CSD (p≥0.1).

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Thus, the risk of incident CSD was significantly linked to hyperopia regardless of the genetic hyperopia predisposition, highlighting the significance of routine vision screening and hyperopia correction to lower CSD risk regardless of genetic risk.

Further reading: Du Z, Zhang X, Hu Y, et al. Association of hyperopia with incident clinically significant depression: epidemiological and genetic evidence in the middle-aged and older population. British Journal of Ophthalmology Published Online First: 14 October 2022. doi: 10.1136/bjo-2022-321876