Rising hyperopia levels connected to risk of depression

Scientists have explored the connection between rising levels of hyperopia and the risk of depression using UK Biobank data.

Researchers from the Southern Medical University and Sun Yat-Sen University in China and the Centre for Eye Research Australia published their findings in Translational Vision Science & Technology.

They found that among the 20,607 individuals in the study between the ages of 40 and 69, every 0.5 dioptre increase in mean spherical equivalent (MSE) was associated with a 6% higher risk of depressive disorders.

Study participants with hyperopia had a higher risk of depressive disorders than participants without hyperopia.

The authors highlighted that although previous research has reported higher levels of depression among older adults with visual impairment, the effect of refractive errors in middle-aged and older patients had not been fully explored prior to the present study.

“Our study demonstrated a dose–response relationship between continuous MSE and depressive disorders, providing evidence that the risk of depression escalates with higher levels of MSE,” the researchers shared.

The scientists also examined which factors might protect against the observed effect between rising hyperopia levels and the risk of depression.

They found that physical activity and sleep patterns mediated the relationship between hyperopia and depressive disorders.

The authors noted that interventions that aim to increase moderate to vigorous intensity physical activity and reduce daytime sleeping could help to reduce the risk of depression among individuals with moderate to severe hyperopia.