title: Dry Eye Related to Commonly Used New Antidepressants.
abstract: Antidepressants may have an impact on the course of eye dryness. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of commonly used new antidepressants on eye wetting. Fifty-four patients using new antidepressants and 57 controls were recruited. The Beck Depression Scale and Beck Anxiety Scale questionnaires were completed by the patients, and drug use time and dosages were recorded. The Schirmer test was performed without prior instillation of topical anesthesia to the ocular surface, and the wetting result was recorded for each eye. Escitalopram, duloxetine, and venlafaxine were used by 27, 13, and 14 patients, respectively. The Schirmer test results in the patients were significantly lower than in the controls (P < 0.001). The patients using selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) displayed lower wetting measurements (≤5 mm) compared with those using serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors, which was independent of the duration of antidepressant usage (P < 0.05). Although SSRIs do not have anticholinergic adverse effects except paroxetine, we found that both SSRIs and serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors increased the risk for eye dryness. The lower Schirmer test results of the SSRIs may be associated with a mechanism other than the anticholinergic system. An awareness of the drugs that contribute to dry eye will allow ophthalmologists, optometrists, and other physicians to better manage patients who have this problem.
authors.affiliation: From the *Psychiatry Department, Bezmialem Vakıf University Medical Faculty; †Neurology Department, Istanbul Medeniyet University Medical Faculty; and ‡Ophtalmology Department, Bezmialem Vakıf University Medical Faculty, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Emel
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Koçer
authors.forename: Abdulkadir
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Koçer
authors.forename: Mustafa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Özsütçü
authors.forename: Ali Emre
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Dursun
authors.forename: İsmet
authors.initials: İ
authors.lastname: Krpnar
mesh_terms: D018759:Adrenergic Uptake Inhibitors / Q000009:adverse effects*; D000328:Adult; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D015283:Citalopram / Q000009:adverse effects; D015352:Dry Eye Syndromes / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017374:Paroxetine / Q000009:adverse effects; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors / Q000009:adverse effects*; D000069470:Venlafaxine Hydrochloride / Q000009:adverse effects
chemical_list: D018759:Adrenergic Uptake Inhibitors; D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D015283:Citalopram; D017374:Paroxetine; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors; D000069470:Venlafaxine Hydrochloride