The Association Between Glaucoma, Anxiety, and Depression in a Large Population.

Abstract

To investigate the association between glaucoma and each of anxiety and depression. Retrospective case-control study. Settings: University of North Carolina hospitals and outpatient clinics. All patients over the age of 18 years seen between July 1, 2008 and October 1, 2015 were included. International Classification of Diseases codes were used to identify cases of glaucoma, as well as anxiety and depression. Odds ratios (OR) were calculated for glaucoma and each of anxiety and depression. OR were also calculated for above diagnoses separated by age group and sex. A total of 4 439 518 patients were screened, of which 11 234 (0.3%) have glaucoma, 96 527 (2.2%) have anxiety, and 103 476 (2.3%) have depression. The adjusted OR was 10.6 (95% confidence interval [CI] 10.0-11.0) for glaucoma and anxiety and 12.3 (95% CI 11.8-12.9) for glaucoma and depression. The likelihood of having anxiety and depression along with glaucoma did not change with age (P = .088, P = .736). There was a statistically significant association between glaucoma and each of anxiety and depression.