Myopia, Anxiety, Depression, Mental Health, Psychological Distress, Optometry

Myopia, a prevalent refractive error affecting a significant proportion of the global population, has been increasingly linked to psychological health, particularly anxiety and depression. This study investigates the relationship between the severity of myopia and the levels of anxiety and depression among myopic adults. A cross-sectional study was conducted at the University of Benin, Nigeria, involving 371 participants aged 18–75. Participants underwent visual screenings and completed validated psychological assessment tools, including the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) for depression and the Generalized Anxiety Disorder scale (GAD-7) for anxiety. Data analysis was performed using SPSS, employing Pearson correlation, regression analysis, and ANOVA. Results indicated a statistically significant positive correlation between the level of myopia and both anxiety and depression levels (p <0.05). The findings suggest that individuals with higher myopia experience greater psychological distress, likely due to concerns about progressive vision loss, social withdrawal, and academic or occupational limitations. Gender-based differences were observed, with female participants reporting higher depression levels. However, anxiety variations with gender and age were not statistically significant. The study underscores the importance of integrating psychological health assessments into routine optometric care and suggests a multidisciplinary approach to managing myopia, including mental health support. Future research should explore longitudinal studies to establish causality and the potential neurobiological mechanisms linking myopia to mental health disorders.