Abstract

Glaucoma is a chronic, progressive optic neuropathy [1]. Excessive retinal oxidative stress is considered a major pathophysiological pathway leading to glaucomatous alterations, visual field defects (VFD) and neurodegeneration with progressive loss of the retinal ganglion cells (RGC) and herewith to an affected light transmission to the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) [2, 3]. Progressed glaucoma has been therefore lately suggested to be the main ophthalmologic disease affecting the photic input to the circadian system, leading to an impairment of the photo-dependent melatonin production and to an affection of the circadian rhythm and thus to several physiological consequences, including sleep and affective disorders [4]. However, with respect to depression and sleep disturbance, study results are sparse and contradictory [5, 6]. The objective of this study is the investigation of the prevalence and specific psychopathology of sleep disorders, depressive and anxiety symptoms among glaucoma patients with and without VFD. Herewith, the correlation between visual impairment, circadian disarrangement and depression should be further explored.

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