Patients with retinitis pigmentosa (RP) may be at an increased risk for unemployment and depressive symptoms, according to findings published in Ophthalmic Research. Jinghua Chen, MD, PhD, and colleagues conducted a study to explore the relationship between RP severity and QOL, focusing on mental health, social support, disability resources, and financial factors. The study included 38 patients with RP. Patients with a best corrected visual acuity of less than 20/200 (P=0.0285) and those living alone (P=0.0358) were at significantly higher risk for experiencing depressive symptoms. Highest education level attained and unemployment were not significantly associated with the development of depressive symptoms. Patients with RP had a markedly higher unemployment rate (64%) compared with the overall US rate of 3.6% and a substantial likelihood of reporting depressive symptoms (47.4%). The results of the study underscore the importance of regular depression screenings and access to mental healthcare, particularly for patients who live alone or have severe visual impairment