Relationship between Macular Pigment Optical Density, Macular Thickness and Myopia in Adults

Abstract

Objective: To study the relationship between macular pigment optical density, macular thickness and myopia in adults. Methods: One hundred nineteen subjects were divided into two groups according to age: 20 to 33 years and 34 to 45 years. Subjects were then divided into anemmetropia group and amyopia group according to spherical equivalence (SE). The latter were divided into a low myopia group, moderate myopia group and high myopia group. The mean macular pigment optical density (Mean OD) and maximum macular pigment optical density (Max OD) were measured with spectral fundus reflectometry. Central retinal thickness (CRT) and paracentral retinal thickness were measured with optical coherence tomography (OCT). The data were analyzed by a paired t-test and single factor variance. Results: Comparison of Mean OD values and Max OD values between the emmetropia group and myopia groups for the ages 20 to 33 and 34 to 45 showed statistically significant differences (P<0.001). When the emmetropia group and the myopia group were compared to each other as two groups, the differences were statistically significant (P<0.001). When the emmetropia group and the myopia group were compared to each other, the differences were statistically significant (P<0.001). Conclusions: This study shows macular pigment optical density, macular thickness in high myopia is significant different with low to moderate myopia. Key words: macular pigment optical density; central retinal thickness; myopia