Beyond vision: The overlooked burden of depression in glaucoma patients

Glaucoma is more than optic nerve damage - it's a major driver of emotional distress. A growing body of work shows a bidirectional relationship between glaucoma and depression, shaped by chronic stress, fear of vision loss, diminished quality of life, and neurobiological pathways shared with neurodegeneration. Yet depressive symptoms in this population are often missed and undertreated, with clear downstream effects: Poorer adherence, reduced engagement with care, and worse visual outcomes. This article synthesizes emerging evidence to contextualize depression in glaucoma as a clinically significant manifestation of integrated eye-brain dysfunction and underscores implications for screening and care.