Meta-analysis finds high rates of depression and anxiety symptoms among people with myopia

People with myopia have a high prevalence of depression and anxiety symptoms and are more likely to experience these symptoms than people with normal vision, according to a study.

Researchers reviewed studies from PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science and identified 6 eligible studies that assessed psychological symptoms in myopic populations. Using pooled data, they estimated that 22.99% of people with myopia experience symptoms of depression and 26.81% experience symptoms of anxiety.

When compared with emmetropic individuals, myopes were 46% more likely to report symptoms of depression (OR: 1.46; 95% CI: 0.98–2.19) and 65% more likely to report symptoms of anxiety (OR: 1.65; 95% CI: 1.10–2.49).

Myopes younger than 40 years were 12% more likely to report symptoms of depression and 26% more likely to report symptoms of anxiety than age-matched emmetropes. Among those aged 40 years and older, myopes were nearly twice as likely to report symptoms of depression (OR: 2.02; 95% CI: 1.61–2.51) compared with their emmetropic peers.

The authors note that the findings support the need for integrated eye care approaches that take psychological symptoms into account as myopia becomes increasingly prevalent worldwide.

Reference

Kyei S, Asiamah R, Owusu G, et al. Symptoms of Depression and Anxiety among Myopes: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Br Ir Orthopt J. 2026;22(1):46-56. doi: 10.22599/bioj.500. PMID: 41696459; PMCID: PMC12904118.