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The use of heterochromatic flicker photometry to determine macular pigment optical density in a healthy Australian population

  • Basic Science
  • Published:
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Abstract

Purpose

To establish the normal macular pigment density (MPOD) in a healthy adult Australian sample using heterochromatic flicker photometry (HFP).

Methods

Macular pigment density was measured using heterochromatic flicker photometry in a total of 201 subjects ranging in age from 21 to 84 years with healthy macula. Fifty-seven of the healthy subjects also completed a food-frequency dietary questionnaire. Best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was measured using logMAR, chart and macular morphological profiles were assessed using high-resolution integrated Fourier-domain optical coherence tomography (OCT).

Results

The average MPOD value was 0.41 ± 0.20 (range 0.07–0.79). There was no statistically significant difference between values in the left and right eye, with good interocular agreement (0.41 vs 0.40, r = 0.893, p < 0.01). Age significantly predicted MPOD score (R 2 = 0.07, p < 0.05). A subgroup analysis of patients who completed the dietary questionnaire revealed a close correlation between higher diet scores and higher MPOD (r = 0.720 p = 0.031). There was no effect of smoking, gender, or iris colour on MPOD values. There was no significant correlation between BCVA, macular OCT profiles, and MPOD.

Conclusion

Given that MPOD values are potentially affected by geographical variation, we have determined a mean MPOD value for healthy subjects in a population south of the equator, providing a reference point for future studies on Caucasian samples.

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Conflict of interest

The authors have no financial or competing interests relating to this research.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Ophthalmology, Royal Hobart Hospital, 43 Liverpool St, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia

    Robin G. Abell, Alex W. Hewitt, Marko Andric & Nitin Verma

  2. Rural Clinical School, Burnie, Tasmania, Australia

    Penelope L. Allen

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  1. Robin G. Abell
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  2. Alex W. Hewitt
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  5. Nitin Verma
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Correspondence to Robin G. Abell.

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Abell, R.G., Hewitt, A.W., Andric, M. et al. The use of heterochromatic flicker photometry to determine macular pigment optical density in a healthy Australian population. Graefes Arch Clin Exp Ophthalmol 252, 417–421 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00417-013-2554-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00417-013-2554-6

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