Abstract
Purpose :
To investigate the relationship between macular pigment optical volume (MPOV) and contrast sensitivity (CS), microperimetric pointwise sensitivity (PWS) and photostress recovery time (PRT) during 18 months of carotenoid supplementation in patients with open-angle glaucoma (OAG).
Methods :
MPOV was measured (central 6°) in one eye using fundus autofluorescence (Spectralis HRA + OCT) in 54 patients with OAG, randomised to receive treatment (10 mg lutein, 10 mg meso-zeaxanthin, 2 mg zeaxanthin, n = 37 [mean age: 66.2 years, range: 48 – 86]) or placebo (n = 17 [mean age: 61.8 years, range: 36 – 76]) supplementation. CS was measured at 1.5, 3, 6, 12 and 18 cycles per degree under photopic (85 cd/m2) and mesopic (3 cd/m2) conditions, each with and without glare (Functional Vision Analyzer). Area under log contrast sensitivity function (AULCSF) was calculated for each test condition. PWS at 19 visual field locations (central 10°, MAIA 2) and PRT (MDD-2 Macular Adaptometer) were also measured. All tests were conducted at six monthly intervals from baseline to 18 months. Linear mixed-effects models were used to assess relationships between each visual function measure (response variables: AULCSF, PWS and PRT) and MPOV (fixed effect) over time. Treatment, time and adaptation condition (AULCSF) were included as fixed effects and participant as a random effect to adjust for such factors in the model.
Results :
Positive significant relationships were observed between AULCSF (all adaptation conditions) and both MPOV (Beta coefficient [β] = 0.013, P = 0.028, fig. 1a) and time (β = 0.035, P = 0.011). PRT had a significant inverse association with MPOV (β = -0.924, P = 0.045, fig. 1b) and a significant positive association with time (β = 3.78, P=0.019). PWS was not significantly related to MPOV (β = -0.077, P = 0.203, fig. 1c) or time (β = 0.036, P = 0.819).
Conclusions :
Patients with OAG and higher MPOV exhibited better CS under mesopic and photopic conditions both with and without glare. PRT was faster in those exhibiting higher MPOV over the supplementation period. Visual function may be improved in glaucoma by increasing MPOV through carotenoid supplementation, but further work is required to determine its longer-term effects on visual function.
This abstract was presented at the 2022 ARVO Annual Meeting, held in Denver, CO, May 1-4, 2022, and virtually.