Abstract
We compared macular pigment optical density (MPOD) spatial profiles measured by customized heterochromatic flicker photometry (cHFP) and two-wavelength autofluorescence (AF) imaging. Spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) was used to compare the MPOD distribution with foveal architecture. Thirty healthy subjects were recruited to measure their MPOD spatial profiles out to 7° retinal eccentricity using cHFP and two-wavelength AF methods (Heidelberg HRA MP). Measurements of central foveal thickness, width of the foveal pit, and arrangements of the foveal layers were extracted from OCT scans in a subset of the subjects to investigate relationships to the MPOD distribution using the Heidelberg Spectralis SD-OCT. OCT B-scans and corresponding infrared fundus images were co-aligned with MPOD spatial profiles to examine MPOD with respect to foveal location. Our preliminary results support the idea that a wider fovea is associated with a wider macular pigment spatial profile that can include a central peak and flanking peaks. A narrow fovea is likely to have a steeper macular pigment distribution that more closely approximates an exponential spatial profile. OCT raster scans of the foveal pit are being co-aligned with MPOD spatial profiles for more detailed comparisons of spatial features.