Macular Pigment Optical Density: Relationship To Visual Function

Objective It has been suggested the macular pigment (MP) plays animportant role in protection from blue light as well as enhancement of vision.We were interested to discover if there is an association between the level ofmacular pigment and visual performance.Methods We measured the macular pigment optical density (MPOD) inthe right eye of 116 adult subjects. Subjects with MPOD over 0.90 (highMPOD) and less than 0.40 (low MPOD) were invited to participate in spatialand temporal contrast sensitivity as well as vernier acuity measurements.Results The mean MPOD (±SD) was 0.64 (±0.30) for 116 subjects. Thegrating acuities were 33.01±3.35 cycle/deg and 30.83±2.88 cycle/deg foreach of the two groups. The CFF were for the high and low MPOD groups37.69±6.82 Hz and 36.24±5.00 Hz respectively. The vernier acuities were8.35±2.45 and 11.53±3.56 seconds of arc for the groups. Spatial ortemporal contrast sensitivity functions were not different between the groupswith high and low MPOD. However, vernier acuity was better in the groupwith higher MPOD (t=-2.884, p=0.008).Conclusion There was a significant correlation between MPOD and vernieracuity. However, there was no significant correlation between MPOD andspatial or temporal contrast sensitivity functions. This is an interestingfinding, which should encourage further research on the relationship betweenMPOD and visual function.