Correlations between internal and external ocular factors and macular pigment optical density.

AIM: To assess the relationship between the macular pigment optical density and blue-light issued by computers, glare sensibility, with iris color, age, sex, or refractive errors.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: 83 patients (166 eyes) were enrolled in a prospective observational study. They were divided into 2 groups: group 1 (study group) - computer using patients (time spent in front of the computer for minimum 8 hours per day, 5 days per week, 2 years) - 43 patients and group 2 (control group) - 40 patients. The following investigations were conducted in all the selected cases: visual acuity, refraction, biomicroscopy, measurement of the MPOD, glare sensitivity, assessment of eye color.

RESULTS: 51.81% of the patients were included in group 1, while the rest, 48.19%, were in group 2. Thus, the MPOD had a mean value of (+/ -SD) 0.42+/ -0.13 (t = -1.08, p = 0.28) in group 1, and 0.44+/ -0.16 on the LE. The results showed a MPOD mean value of 0.51+/ - 0.16 in group 2 and 0.51+/ -0 .16. (t = 0.49, p = 0 .62) on the LE. 55.77% of the patients with light colored iris and 56.14% of those with dark iris had a low MPOD.

CONCLUSIONS: The data from our study failed to illustrate a significant correlation between MPOD and blue-light issued by computers. Furthermore, a statistic significant relationship regarding iris color, refractive errors, glare, and MPOD was not observed.

ABBREVIATIONS: L = lutein, Z = zeaxanthin, MZ = meso-zeaxanthin, AMD = age related macular degeneration, MPOD = macular pigment optical density, MP = macular pigment, HFP = Heterochromatic Flicker Photometry, RE = right eye, LE = left eye.