Psychological Aspects and Depression in Patients with Symptomatic Keratoconus

Abstract

Depressive disorders appear to be directly associated with keratoconus, both in frequency and intensity. Worse visual acuity and older age could be identified as predictive factors for their emotional status. Moreover, the disease itself could be recognized as an independent risk factor for depression development, underlying the need for close monitoring and supportive management. To the best of our knowledge, our study is the first in the literature to elaborate the association between keratoconus and depression, by assessing two different questionnaires simultaneously.