@article{816,
  keywords = {(3-5): Non-infectious uveitis, anxiety, depression, Randomized Controlled Trial},
  author = {Jessica Shantha and Isabel Ray and Anika Kumar and Daisy Yan and Kirsten Da Silva and Charlene Choo and Alison Coyne and Emily Tang and John Gonzales and Thuy Doan and Benjamin Arnold and Thomas Lietman and Nisha Acharya},
  title = {The Effects of a Digital Mindfulness Intervention on Mental Health and Vision-Related Quality of Life in Non-infectious Uveitis.},
  abstract = {<p><b>OBJECTIVE: </b>To evaluate the effect of a digital mindfulness-based program (Calm Health) on mental health outcomes in adults with non-infectious uveitis (NIU).</p><p><b>DESIGN: </b>Single-center, single-masked, waitlist-controlled randomized clinical trial.</p><p><b>PARTICIPANTS: </b>One hundred adults aged ≥18 years with active or inactive NIU and baseline mild or greater anxiety or depression were randomized 1:1 to immediate access to a mindfulness app (Calm Health) or to a waitlist control group.</p><p><b>METHODS: </b>Participants in the intervention group were instructed to use the Calm Health mobile app for ≥10 minutes daily for 8 weeks. Controls received no new mindfulness intervention during this period. Outcomes were assessed at baseline and 8 weeks using validated surveys.</p><p><b>MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: </b>The primary outcome was the mean difference in the anxiety symptom severity score measured by the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) at 8 weeks. Secondary outcomes included changes in depression (Patient Health Questionnaire-9 [PHQ-9]), perceived stress (Perceived Stress Scale-10 [PSS-10]), and vision-related quality of life (National Eye Institute Visual Function Questionnaire-25 [NEI VFQ-25]). Outcomes were analyzed using linear analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) models, adjusting for baseline scores.</p><p><b>RESULTS: </b>Of 100 randomized participants (median age 43.5 years; 75% female), 70 completed the primary endpoint assessment. Median [Q1, Q3] total app use among intervention participants was 579 [397.79, 923.00] minutes over 8 weeks. After adjustment for baseline scores, the intervention group had a significantly lower GAD-7 score at 8 weeks compared with controls (mean difference -1.7 points; 95% CI: -3.17, -0.23, p=0.02). Secondary analyses showed significantly greater reductions in PHQ-9 scores (-1.90 points; 95% CI: -3.04, -0.76, p=0.001) and PSS-10 scores (-3.69 points; 95% CI: -6.00, -1.37, p=0.002) in the intervention group. Changes in NEI VFQ-25 scores were not statistically significant between groups (mean difference 1.98 points; 95% CI: -0.90, 4.86, p=0.18). Sensitivity analyses accounting for missing data and clinical covariates yielded similar results.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS: </b>A digital mindfulness-based intervention (Calm Health) significantly reduced anxiety, depression, and perceived stress in adults with NIU. Digital mindfulness tools may serve as a feasible, scalable adjunct to uveitis care, particularly in settings with limited access to traditional mental health services.</p>},
  year = {2026},
  journal = {Ophthalmology},
  month = {06/2026},
  issn = {1549-4713},
  doi = {10.1016/j.ophtha.2026.06.011},
  language = {eng},
}