Effective communication from doctors could reduce anxiety for wet AMD patients

A new study has revealed high levels of undiagnosed depression and anxiety among patients undergoing treatment for wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

The research was conducted at Manchester Royal Eye Hospital and published in the American Journal of Ophthalmology. It involved 300 patients receiving anti-VEGF treatment for wet AMD completing standardised questionnaires to quantify clinically significant levels of anxiety and depression.

Manchester researchers say that the study findings demonstrate the value of human interaction between clinician and patient in offering reassurance around the efficacy and safety associated with anti-VEGF injections. The main sources of anxiety were fear of going blind from the injections and concerns about treatment effectiveness