The goal of ARVO is to encourage and assist research, training, publication and dissemination of knowledge in vision and ophthalmology. This year at ARVO, over 6000 abstracts were presented highlighting research in various fields of ophthalmology. One topic showcased was the role of macular pigment and its association with healthy eyes and visual function. This month, I’m happy to share with you results from some of the studies presented at ARVO on this topic. Please feel free to contact me for more information on these studies.
Macular Pigment is Related to Reduced Glare Disability, Improved Photostress Recovery, and Contrast Enhancement
M.J. Dengler et al.
http://abstracts.iovs.org/cgi/content/abstract/51/5/1296
Macular Pigment Optical Density (MPOD), glare disability (GD), photostress recovery time (PSR) and contrast enhancement (CE) was assessed in 111 young, healthy subjects. High MPOD was significantly correlated with increased GD (p < 0.01) and CE (p < 0.0001) and decreased PSR (p < 0.01). Increased levels of macular pigment enabled more light to be absorbed, so subjects with higher MPOD could tolerate more light before losing visibility of the target stimuli in CE and GD conditions. Additionally, time to recover sight following exposure to bright light was reduced in subjects with higher MPOD. These observations are likely due to the ability of macular pigment to filter blue wavelengths of visible light. These baseline data are from an ongoing double-blind, placebo-controlled, intervention clinical trial testing 10 mg FloraGLO® Lutein and 2 mg OPTISHARP® zeaxanthin for 12 months.
A Comparison of Macular Pigment and Melatonin in Patients with Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) and Healthy Control Subjects - A Study Using Spectral Fundus Reflectance
S. Kaya et al.
http://abstracts.iovs.org/cgi/content/abstract/51/5/4946
MPOD and melatonin optical density were assessed in 82 healthy subjects and 96 patients with AMD. Melatonin optical density and age were unrelated to MPOD level in the healthy group. However, patients with AMD had decreased MPOD as compared to the healthy group (p = 0.013). In addition, MPOD correlated with age in AMD patients (p < 0.01, r = -0.24). No significant difference in melatonin optical density was observed between the two groups. These findings support previously published findings in which eyes affected with AMD or at high risk for AMD have lower MPOD than healthy eyes.
The Relationship Between Macular Pigment and Visual Performance
M.C. Akkali et al.
http://abstracts.iovs.org/cgi/content/abstract/51/5/1286
This abstract presented baseline data from the Collaborative Optical Macular Pigment ASsessment Study (COMPASS). MPOD was measured in 142 healthy subjects and best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), mesopic and photopic contrast sensitivity, glare sensitivity, photostress recovery time (PRT) was also assessed. The authors found a significant correlation between MPOD and BCVA, mesopic and photopic contrast sensitivity. However, PRT and glare sensitivity were unrelated to MPOD. The COMPASS longitudinal, placebo-controlled and randomized supplementation trial will provide evidence as to whether increases in MPOD can influence visual performance in young, healthy subjects.
Macular Pigment: Visual Effects of Deficiency
J.C. Wonget al.
http://abstracts.iovs.org/cgi/content/abstract/51/5/1288
MPOD along with contrast sensitivity at six spatial frequencies was measured in 20 healthy subjects. MPOD was unrelated to contrast sensitivity at all frequencies except 43 cycles per degree. Thus, the authors hypothesize that high levels of macular pigment may be important for the most difficult contrast sensitivity challenge and possibly not easier ones.
Cross-Sectional Correlations Between Macular Pigment Optical Density (MPOD) and Measures of Macular Function
G. Carboni et al.
http://abstracts.iovs.org/cgi/content/abstract/51/5/1293
MPOD was measured at 0.5 and 2.0 degrees of eccentricity in 20 healthy subjects. Contrast sensitivity (CS), the P50 amplitude of the pattern-reversal electroretinogram (PERG), cone sensitivity, and rod sensitivity were measured at loci corresponding to MPOD estimates. MPOD at 0.5 degrees was positively correlated with CS (r = 0.323) while the correlation was lower for MPOD at 2.0 degrees. MPOD at 0.5 degrees displayed a ∩ -shaped, curvilinear relationship with PERG P50 amplitude (r = 0.698) and a significant inverse relationship with cone sensitivity (r = - 0.430). The authors conclude that “higher MPOD correlates with better CS, but also suggest that there is an optimal MPOD range within which PERG amplitudes are highest and that higher MPOD levels are associated with lower foveal cone sensitivity.”
These abstracts presented at ARVO provide further evidence that increasing ones’ MPOD through consumption of lutein- and zeaxanthin-rich foods and supplementation can increase the blue light filtering capacity of the macular pigment. These studies and others show increases in MPOD improve visual function and decrease the risk of certain age-related eye diseases.
Macular Pigment is Related to Reduced Glare Disability, Improved Photostress Recovery, and Contrast Enhancement
M.J. Dengler et al.
http://abstracts.iovs.org/cgi/content/abstract/51/5/1296
Macular Pigment Optical Density (MPOD), glare disability (GD), photostress recovery time (PSR) and contrast enhancement (CE) was assessed in 111 young, healthy subjects. High MPOD was significantly correlated with increased GD (p < 0.01) and CE (p < 0.0001) and decreased PSR (p < 0.01). Increased levels of macular pigment enabled more light to be absorbed, so subjects with higher MPOD could tolerate more light before losing visibility of the target stimuli in CE and GD conditions. Additionally, time to recover sight following exposure to bright light was reduced in subjects with higher MPOD. These observations are likely due to the ability of macular pigment to filter blue wavelengths of visible light. These baseline data are from an ongoing double-blind, placebo-controlled, intervention clinical trial testing 10 mg FloraGLO® Lutein and 2 mg OPTISHARP® zeaxanthin for 12 months.
A Comparison of Macular Pigment and Melatonin in Patients with Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) and Healthy Control Subjects - A Study Using Spectral Fundus Reflectance
S. Kaya et al.
http://abstracts.iovs.org/cgi/content/abstract/51/5/4946
MPOD and melatonin optical density were assessed in 82 healthy subjects and 96 patients with AMD. Melatonin optical density and age were unrelated to MPOD level in the healthy group. However, patients with AMD had decreased MPOD as compared to the healthy group (p = 0.013). In addition, MPOD correlated with age in AMD patients (p < 0.01, r = -0.24). No significant difference in melatonin optical density was observed between the two groups. These findings support previously published findings in which eyes affected with AMD or at high risk for AMD have lower MPOD than healthy eyes.
The Relationship Between Macular Pigment and Visual Performance
M.C. Akkali et al.
http://abstracts.iovs.org/cgi/content/abstract/51/5/1286
This abstract presented baseline data from the Collaborative Optical Macular Pigment ASsessment Study (COMPASS). MPOD was measured in 142 healthy subjects and best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), mesopic and photopic contrast sensitivity, glare sensitivity, photostress recovery time (PRT) was also assessed. The authors found a significant correlation between MPOD and BCVA, mesopic and photopic contrast sensitivity. However, PRT and glare sensitivity were unrelated to MPOD. The COMPASS longitudinal, placebo-controlled and randomized supplementation trial will provide evidence as to whether increases in MPOD can influence visual performance in young, healthy subjects.
Macular Pigment: Visual Effects of Deficiency
J.C. Wonget al.
http://abstracts.iovs.org/cgi/content/abstract/51/5/1288
MPOD along with contrast sensitivity at six spatial frequencies was measured in 20 healthy subjects. MPOD was unrelated to contrast sensitivity at all frequencies except 43 cycles per degree. Thus, the authors hypothesize that high levels of macular pigment may be important for the most difficult contrast sensitivity challenge and possibly not easier ones.
Cross-Sectional Correlations Between Macular Pigment Optical Density (MPOD) and Measures of Macular Function
G. Carboni et al.
http://abstracts.iovs.org/cgi/content/abstract/51/5/1293
MPOD was measured at 0.5 and 2.0 degrees of eccentricity in 20 healthy subjects. Contrast sensitivity (CS), the P50 amplitude of the pattern-reversal electroretinogram (PERG), cone sensitivity, and rod sensitivity were measured at loci corresponding to MPOD estimates. MPOD at 0.5 degrees was positively correlated with CS (r = 0.323) while the correlation was lower for MPOD at 2.0 degrees. MPOD at 0.5 degrees displayed a ∩ -shaped, curvilinear relationship with PERG P50 amplitude (r = 0.698) and a significant inverse relationship with cone sensitivity (r = - 0.430). The authors conclude that “higher MPOD correlates with better CS, but also suggest that there is an optimal MPOD range within which PERG amplitudes are highest and that higher MPOD levels are associated with lower foveal cone sensitivity.”
These abstracts presented at ARVO provide further evidence that increasing ones’ MPOD through consumption of lutein- and zeaxanthin-rich foods and supplementation can increase the blue light filtering capacity of the macular pigment. These studies and others show increases in MPOD improve visual function and decrease the risk of certain age-related eye diseases.
