Quality of Life and Depression Level in Patients With Watery Eye

Abstract

Background: The aim of this study was to assess subjective, human aspect of the medical condition, evaluate the quality of life (QOL) and level of depressive symptoms in patients with watery eye and compare it with patients with two most common causes of visual deterioration: cataract and macular region pathology. The results of this study may serve to raise awareness of watery eye impact on a large number of patients and subsequently promote their treatment in order to restore full visual and life quality necessary for normal human functioning. Subjects and methods: In this prospective, randomised, questionnaire-based study, we have surveyed three groups of patients with a total of 210 patients: group with the watery eye of different etiology (n=69), group with one pseudophakic eye and one cataract eye (n=73) and group with the unilateral pathology of the macular region (n=68). All three groups underwent a complete ophthalmologic examination. To examine the overall quality of life we have used a modified vision-related quality of life questionnaire (VR-QOL) and to evaluate depression level "Beck Depression Inventory-2". The results were analyzed with statistical program STATISTICA 13. Results: Compared to group with unilateral cataract eye and to group with unilateral pathology of the macular region, the results of this study show that patients with watery eye have significantly decreased quality of life in all daily activities, particularly in outdoor activities (F=125.80, df=2/143, p<0.01), during sports (F=36.67, df=2/143, p<0.01) and interpersonal relations (F=18.73, df=2/143, p<0.01). Results between three groups showed that group with watering eye expressed highest depression level and group with one pseudophakic eye and the other cataract eye the lowest (F=25.86, df=2/207, p<0.01). Conclusion: Watery eye has a significant impact on vision-related quality of life. Our research showed that patients with watery eye had expressed more depressive symptoms than other groups, but still without statistically significant value. Since it affects a large and heterogenic group of patients it is important to be recognized on time and treated etiologically in attempt to restore full function and life quality. The results of this study may serve to raise awareness of watery eye impact on a large number of patients and subsequently promote their treatment in order to restore full visual and life quality necessary for normal functioning.

Multidisciplinary approach to lacrimal system diseases

“…The latter form is most commonly encountered in middle-aged female patients in whom different local and systemic pathologies may cause lacrimal obstruction 1,[4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12] . Regardless of its etiology, epiphora has substantial impact on the quality of life, thus making its correct approach fundamental 13,14 . In past years, lacrimal pathologies were mainly managed by an ophthalmologist due to the clinical presentation and the treatments that were available.…”

Assessment of the vision-related quality of life (VR-QOL) in patients with watery eyes

“…In our study effect on VR-QOL were similar for both male and females. 6 Our patients showed a hindrance in all the categories, especially in the outdoor activities (p-value 0.045). Most of our patients were farmers and their fieldwork was affected.…”

“…Discomfort during interpersonal relations leads to reduced general happiness and a poor quality of life. 6 In the study by Shin et al, older patients with watering had better scores for interpersonal relationships, which might reflect older people receding from active social life and having less discomfort from epiphora in interpersonal relations than younger people. 4 Females had higher scores for interpersonal relationships in their study.…”

“…Other studies in the literature also support our finding. 4,6 Epiphora is a distressing symptom that affects full participation in outdoor activities as it requires constant dabbing. Although the association of severity of watering with work-related activities did not reach a significant level, we found that 34 (65%) of 52 patients who responded to this question had severely affected VR-QOL of which 23(67%) had to dab tears more than ten times a day.…”

“…This not only has an impact on the day today activities but also on the social life of the individual. [4][5][6] Despite being a common symptom of many ocular diseases, only a few studies are addressing it in the literature. The main aim of the study was to estimate the proportion of watery eye patients in whom the vision-related quality of life (VR-QOL) is affected.…”