The relationship between depression and dry eye is complex, impacting both eye health and mental wellbeing. Addressing these conditions together can lead to improved outcomes.
Depression can alter your daily routines, which in turn can affect your eye health. For example, individuals with depression may spend more time in front of screens, have irregular sleep patterns, or may not engage in routine self-care, all of which can lead to an increase in dry eye symptoms. Studies, including the one published in JAMA Ophthalmology in March 2022, have found that patients who screen positive for depression tend to report more severe symptoms of dry eye.
The mechanism behind this connection is in part behavioral and in part physiological. Depression can lead to changes in hormone levels and inflammation, both of which are known to affect the quality and quantity of your tears. Additionally, when you are depressed, you might be less likely to notice or properly manage mild eye irritation, which can escalate into a more significant dry eye problem.
Dry eye disease is much more than just an annoying irritation—it can significantly disrupt your quality of life. Persistent dryness, burning, blurry vision, and the feeling of a foreign body in the eye can interfere with everyday activities such as reading, driving, or even enjoying leisure time. This constant discomfort can lead to frustration and may contribute to feelings of sadness and isolation, which are common in depression.
A comprehensive umbrella review published in Frontiers in Public Health in November 2022 has highlighted that the symptoms of dry eye directly affect daily living, thereby impacting mood and overall mental wellbeing. When dry eye symptoms dictate what activities you can safely perform, they affect your social interactions and can potentially slow down work productivity or hobbies, deepening feelings of depression.
Multiple studies have provided compelling evidence for a link between dry eye and depression. In one significant study, a total of 36.7% of the participants reported experiencing dry eye symptoms while 23.7% were diagnosed with depression, anxiety, or stress. Researchers found that among patients with moderate to severe dry eye disease, those with depression often exhibited even more pronounced dryness and discomfort.
Researchers believe that this relationship could be explained by several overlapping factors. For one, some antidepressant medications are known to reduce tear production, directly worsening dry eye symptoms. Moreover, the physical discomfort of dry eye might increase psychological stress, setting off a vicious cycle that perpetuates both conditions.
In another study published in the American Journal of Ophthalmology, analysis of patient records demonstrated that individuals with dry eye disease had more than three times the risk of developing mental health disorders, including depression and anxiety. This evidence reinforces the idea that the connection between the two conditions goes far beyond surface-level symptoms.
Find a top optometrist near you to discuss your symptoms and explore comprehensive treatment options for both dry eye and depression.
Several factors put individuals at risk for both dry eye and depression. For instance, hormonal changes—especially during menopause—are known to reduce tear production and are also associated with a higher incidence of depressive symptoms. Additionally, lifestyle factors such as extended screen time, which is common in today’s digital era, can exacerbate both dry eye and depressive feelings.
Other shared risk factors include:
Understanding these shared risk factors helps explain why addressing one condition may also have beneficial effects on the other.
Your daily habits can often be the bridge between mental health and eye health. For example, if you spend long hours looking at a computer screen without taking breaks, you may strain your eyes and reduce your blink rate, leading to poor tear distribution and resulting in dry eye symptoms. If you are suffering from depression, these habits can become even more pronounced because of reduced motivation to change daily routines.
Moreover, depression can lead to changes in your sleep pattern. Poor sleep quality not only affects your mental health but also deprives your eyes of the rest they need to maintain an adequate tear film. This combination of behavior changes creates a perfect storm where both dry eye and depression feed into each other.
Find a top optometrist near you to discuss your symptoms and explore comprehensive treatment options for both dry eye and depression.
Discover how depression and dry eye are interconnected, affecting your overall wellbeing and eye health.
