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Macular Pigment is Related to Reduced Glare Disability, Improved Photostress Recovery, and Contrast Enhancement

¹Vision Sciences Laboratory, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia
²Northrop-Grumman Corp., Air Force Research Laboratory, Brooks City Base, Texas
³Georgia Gwinnett College, Lawrenceville, Georgia
⁴DSM Nutritional Products Ltd., Basel, Switzerland

Commercial Relationships: M.J. Dengler, None; L.M. Fletcher, None; J.M. Stringham, None; L.M. Renzi, None; W. Schalch, DSM Nutritional Products Ltd., E; B.R. Hammond, Jr., None.

Support: DSM Nutritional Products Ltd., Kemin Industries Inc.

Clinical Trial: www.clinicaltrials.gov NCT00909090

Abstract

Purpose:The idea that yellow intra-ocular pigments could improve vision through optical mechanisms has been postulated for over a century. The yellow macular pigments (MP), for instance, could improve vision by absorbing scattered light (e.g., glare) and by increasing contrast across chromatic borders.

Methods:111 young (mean age = 22 yrs) healthy subjects were assessed. MP density, glare disability (GD), photostress recovery time (PSR) and contrast enhancement (CE) were all measured psychophysically. GD was measured by varying the energy of a broad-band, 12° annulus in order to veil a 1° central long-wave grating target. PSR was determined by timing visual recovery (reacquiring sight of a shuttered 1° circular grating target) following an intense 3-second broad-band bleach. CE was determined by measuring increment thresholds to a 1° long-wave target presented on a 10°, 460 nm circular background.

Results:MP density was significantly correlated with GD (p < 0.01), PSR (p < 0.01) and CE (p < 0.0001).

Conclusions:These cross-sectional data (serum data will also be presented), showing a significant relation between MP and GD, PSR, and CE, are the baseline for a year-long clinical trial, now in progress, testing whether supplementing lutein and zeaxanthin leads to improved visual performance.

Keywords: macular pigment • carotenoids/carotenoid binding proteins • retina

© 2010, The Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology, Inc., all rights reserved. Permission to republish any abstract or part of an abstract in any form must be obtained in writing from the ARVO Office prior to publication.