How can AMD affect mental health?
We all value our independence, particularly in American culture. So the loss of independence, such as loss of the ability to drive, is very much a contributor to depression. It’s a very devastating condition. We’ve asked people “What is your worst medical problem?” And these are people who have had heart disease, all kinds of cancers, and on and on. Over 90 percent say that macular degeneration is their worst medical condition. In our studies on quality of life, we found that approximately one-third of participants met criteria for depression. That’s about twice the level of depression one would find in this age group. And it’s also very important because the depression that people experience with macular degeneration is very closely associated with the disability of the disease. When you take two people, for example, who have experienced the same level of vision loss, the person who is depressed is much more disabled than the person who is not, even though they would appear to have su
