According to a new study published in Medicalxpress, middle-aged women are more at risk of developing depressive symptoms compared with other control groups, and one of the main factors is eye health.
Low vision, blindness or other eye disorders associated with severe reduction of visual acuity are often responsible for the onset of depression. These conditions heavily impact the quality of life of visually impaired people, who need to acquire new adaptive skills.
Still, what happens when vision deteriorates at an age marked by other fragilities?
According to a new study published on Medicalxpress, vision problems are associated with a higher risk of depression in midlife women than men.
It’s worth noting that midlife women usually show higher depression rates compared to all other age and gender groups. A new study, based on data from the Study of Women’s Health Across the Nation (SWAN), sought to assess the direct association between vision impairment and depressive symptoms in midlife women. Based on these results, researchers concluded that there is a significant association of mild and moderate to severe visual impairment, with subsequent depressive symptoms.
Experts have also observed that depression has far-reaching effects not only on the general state of health but also on a healthy and peaceful aging process. The study recommends early identification of pathologies that may lead to vision impairment, so as to preserve mental and physical health in midlife women more extensively.
Such eye disorders include common and correctable problems, such as refractive errors, cataract, glaucoma, diabetic or hypertensive retinopathy, and macular degeneration.
“Correcting vision problems early is important for future quality of life,” says Dr. Stephanie Faubion, NAMS medical director.
