F. Yu

Depression in patients with glaucoma as measured by self-report surveys

PURPOSEnThis study aimed to determine whether patients with glaucoma have more depressive symptoms than patients without glaucoma.nnnDESIGNnProspective case-control study.nnnPARTICIPANTSnThe study population was recruited from two university-based glaucoma clinical practices and a university-based general ophthalmology clinic and consisted of 121 patients with open-angle glaucoma, 42 with diagnoses of suspected glaucoma, and 135 with no chronic ocular conditions except cataract.nnnINTERVENTIONnThe Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) and Composite International Diagnostic Interview, Short Form (CIDI-SF) questionnaires were administered to all subjects. Demographic information, medical history, and responses to the questionnaires were elicited by an interviewer. Medical record review was performed to obtain clinical examination data and to substantiate the medical and demographic data obtained by the interviewer.nnnMAIN OUTCOME MEASURESnThe questionnaire scores by diagnostic group, demographic characteristics, and medical history were examined. Secondary outcome measures were questionnaire scores in patients with glaucoma by visual impairment and glaucoma medication use.nnnRESULTSnDepression scores for patients with glaucoma did not differ significantly from scores of control patients. Having past or present mental illness was the only consistent predictor for depression in both questionnaires. Among glaucoma patients, visual acuity level, visual field severity, and use of topical beta-blockers were not predictors for depression.nnnCONCLUSIONSnPatients with glaucoma do not report being more depressed than patients without glaucoma as measured by the CES-D and the CIDI-SF questionnaires.

Uncorrected refractive error among first-grade students of different racial/ethnic groups in southern California: results a year after school-mandated vision screening.

CONTEXTnThe California Department of Education requires that kindergartners receive vision screening in preparation for school. Information is not available in the literature, however, on the prevalence of and factors associated with uncorrected refractive error (ie, the lack of eyeglasses), which is the primary cause of decreased visual acuity in children, among first-grade students of different racial/ethnic groups in California.nnnOBJECTIVEnTo determine the proportion of first-grade students with decreased visual acuity who need eyeglasses but do not have any and whether the lack of eyeglasses is associated with racial/ethnic and other factors.nnnSETTINGnThree school districts in Southern California.nnnPARTICIPANTSnThe University of California, Los Angeles Mobile Eye Clinic examined the eyes of 11 332 first-grade students over a 7-year period. Statistical analyses included adjusted logistic regression and linear trend models.nnnFINDINGSnAmong 11 332 first-grade students, 6973 (61.5%) were Latino, 1511 (13.3%) were Asian/Pacific Islander, 1422 (12.5%) were African American, 310 (2.7%) were non-Hispanic white, and 1116 (9.8%) were from other or mixed races/ethnicities. The prevalence of decreased visual acuity was 8.0%; 95% of children with decreased visual acuity (858 of 906 children) lacked eyeglasses that would have helped them attain normal vision. The lack of eyeglasses was more common in boys and African American/Latino children compared with that in girls and non-Hispanic white children, respectively. The percentage of children lacking eyeglasses over the years exhibited an increasing linear trend (R = 0.86).nnnCONCLUSIONSnMost first-grade students with decreased visual acuity, especially African American and Latino children, need eyeglasses but do not have any. Interventions to correct decreased visual acuity in first-grade students are important because the first grade is a period of critical academic development.

HLA class II genotypes are not associated with age related macular degeneration in a case-control, population-based study

Multiple lines of evidence support an immunologic basis and genetic disposition for the development of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Comprehensive human leukocyte antigens (HLA) class II typing at four loci (DRB1, DQA1, DQB1, and DPB1) was assessed using next generation sequencing methods and tested for association with age-related macular degeneration (AMD) in a case-control study of 456 AMD cases and 499 controls from the population-based Study of Osteoporotic Fractures (SOF) cohort. No statistically significant associations were identified for any of the class II loci and a previously identified association between DRB1*13:01 was not replicated in this dataset. These results reported here suggest that common HLA class II genetic variation does not contribute to AMD disease risk.