Background: To evaluate the macular pigment optical density (MPOD) with age in the Korean population using the Macular Pigment Screener II (MPSII ®). Methods: One hundred and twenty-six eyes were retrospectively reviewed. MPOD was measured using MPSII ® , which uses a heterochromatic flicker photometry method, and the estimated values were analyzed. Spearman's correlation test was used to evaluate correlations between MPOD and age. The association between MPOD and age was determined using a simple linear regression analysis. MPODs among the four groups were compared via the post hoc analysis with Bonferroni correction, MPODs between the age-related macular degeneration (AMD) group and aged-matched healthy subjects were compared via the Mann-Whitney U test. Other risk factors for AMD were identified via a logistic regression analysis. Results: Estimated MPOD decreased significantly with increasing age in the general population. In the simple regression analysis, a statistically significant linear regression model was observed, and the estimated values of MPOD decreased by −0.005 as age increased by 1 year. Aged (> 50 years) showed lower MPOD than younger (30-49 years) subjects. But, in the healthy population, the estimated MPOD values exhibited a decreasing trend with age, but there were no significant differences according to age, after excluding patients with AMD. MPOD was significantly lower in patients with AMD than in aged healthy controls. Furthermore, hypertension, dyslipidemia, and smoking were identified as risk factors for AMD. Conclusion: MPOD measured with MPSII ® reflects the MP density in healthy individuals and patients with dry AMD. Aging was not significantly associated with low MPOD in healthy population, but the presence of dry AMD was significantly associated with low MPOD. Then, low MPOD may be a risk factor for development of dry AMD. Furthermore, routine screening with MPS II ® for ages 50 and older is thought to help detect early low MPOD and identify individuals who should take supplements.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to analyze retinal capillary parameters using optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) of the affected eye and the fellow eye of unilateral normal tension glaucoma (NTG) patients and compare the findings with eyes from a normal control group.Methods: A retrospective cross-sectional study was carried out on patients diagnosed with unilateral NTG (24 affected eyes and 24 fellow eyes each) and normal individuals (29 eyes, the control group). OCTA was used to measure the vascular density (VD) and perfusion density (PD) of the macular area and the peripapillary area.Results: In the superficial capillary plexus, the fellow eye group of unilateral NTG patients showed a decrease in VD of the inner-inferior and PD of the inner-inferior and outer-average peripapillary area, compared with the normal control group (p = 0.008, p < 0.001, and p = 0.001). In the affected NTG eye group, the VD (p = 0.014, p = 0.011, p < 0.001, p < 0.001, and p < 0.001) and PD (p = 0.017, p = 0.023, p < 0.001, p = 0.001, and p < 0.001) of the total, inner-average, inner-inferior, and outer-inferior peripapillary area, and the outer-inferior macular area decreased compared to the fellow eye and normal control group, as well as the VD of the outer-average peripapillary area (p = 0.010). The PD of the outer-average peripapillary area (p = 0.003); the VD (p = 0.041, p = 0.008, p = 0.006) and the PD (p = 0.013, p < 0.001, p = 0.001) of the total, inner-inferior, and outer-average macular area; and the PD of the outer-temporal macular area (p = 0.003) were lower than the normal control group. There was no difference in the VD or PD obtained from the deep capillary plexus of the macular area among the groups.Conclusions: It is useful to observe retinal capillary parameters using OCTA for patients with unilateral NTG.

Purpose: To compare the thickness of the ganglion cell-inner plexiform layer (GCIPL) and the perifoveolar retinal capillary network between fellow eyes with unilateral branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO) and healthy control eyes using optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA). Methods: Retrospective cross-sectional study including 38 patients diagnosed with unilateral BRVO and 37 control subjects. We investigated the thicknesses of the GCIPL layer using OCT, also the vascular density (VD), perfusion density (PD), area and perimeter of the foveal avascular zone (FAZ) using the OCTA. Results: Patients with unilateral BRVO had a higher incidence of hypertension. In the fellow eyes of the unilateral BRVO patients, the area and perimeter of the FAZ were wider and longer than for the control eyes. There was no significant difference in the GCIPL thickness, VD and PD between the two groups. Conclusions: There is no significant change in the thickness of GCIPL between 2 groups, the fellow eyes of the unilateral BRVO patients have the larger area and longer perimeter of the FAZ instead. This means macular ischemia in the follow eye when the BRVO existed. Therefore, ischemic diseases should be carefully monitored in the fellow eyes of unilateral BRVO patients.

Background To study the changes in macular pigment optical density (MPOD) with age in healthy eyes and in patients with dry age-related macular degeneration (AMD) using the Macular Pigment Screener II (MPSII®). Methods One hundred and twenty-six eyes of 126 individuals (51 male, 75 female) were retrospectively evaluated. The MPOD was measured using the MPSII®, which uses a heterochromatic flicker photometry (HFP) method, and the estimated values were reviewed. Spearman’s correlation test was used to evaluate the correlations between the MPOD and age. Simple linear regression analysis was performed to obtain determine the association between the MPOD and age and MPOD. The Kruskal-Wallis test was used to compare the MPOD between among the four groups, and the Mann-Whitney U test was utilized to compare the MPOD between the dry AMD group and the elderly controls Results Estimated MPOD values decreased significantly with increasing age (Spearman’s correlation coefficient, -0.239; p=0.008) in the general population. In the simple regression analysis, a statistically significant linear regression model was observed, and the estimated values of the MPOD decreased by -0.005 as the age increased by one 1 year (p=0.001, Eestimated value of MPOD value = 0.884 – 0.005 ×x Aage). In the healthy population, the estimated MPOD values exhibited a decreasing trend with age, but there were no significant differences according to age, with the exception of patients with dry AMD (p=0.201). The MPOD was significantly lower in patients with dry AMD than in age-matched healthy controls (p=0.001). Conclusions Measurement of the MPOD using the MPSII® is feasible in both healthy individuals and in patients with dry AMD. Early detection of AMD and the contributing risk factors may be possible with regular MPOD screening in elderly patients or in patients with a reduced MPOD.