Macular pigment optical density in young Chinese adults

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to determine the macular pigment optical density (MPOD) in a group of Chinese subjects using a simple customized light emitting diode-based device. METHODS: Heterochromatic flicker photometry was used in this study. With a 1 degrees diameter circular test stimulus, MPOD was estimated by comparing the relative sensitivities to a blue light, against a green reference, between foveal and parafoveal 4 degrees temporal locations. Fixed alternating frequencies were used. Repeatability was determined on a small group of subjects. A further group of 67 young healthy subjects provided data for MPOD norms. RESULTS: All results were corrected to the common MPOD reference wavelength of 460 nm. The group-averaged MPOD was 0.48 (S.D. 0.23). We found no gender difference in MPOD. The coefficient of variability was 7.2-8.0% and the coefficient of repeatability was 0.12. CONCLUSIONS: The MPOD of Chinese subjects did not differ greatly from the reported MPOD in white subjects.