The Relationship Between Macular Pigment Optical Volume and Visual Function in Glaucoma Patients

This study aimed to investigate the relationships among visual field (VF) sensitivity, retinal structure, and macular pigment in glaucoma.

A total of 218 eyes from 121 patients diagnosed with primary open-angle glaucoma were included. VF sensitivity was assessed using the 10-2 test with the Humphrey Field Analyzer. Macular pigment optical volume (MPOV) was measured using the two-wavelength fundus autofluorescence method with SPECTRALIS optical coherence tomography (OCT). Additionally, ganglion cell complex (GCC) and nerve fiber layer (NFL) thickness were evaluated using OCT. The relationships among VF sensitivity, retinal structure, and MPOV were evaluated by matching the measurement areas of each test as closely as possible.

The mean age of participants was 71.6 ± 10.8 years (49 males). MPOV showed no significant association with VF sensitivity in either the superior or inferior hemiretina (P = 0.75 and P = 0.42, respectively). MPOV was not significantly associated with GCC or NFL thickness in both the superior and inferior hemiretina (P > 0.05).

In glaucoma patients, MPOV was not associated with VF sensitivity, GCC, or NFL. These findings suggest no structural or functional association between MPOV and glaucomatous damage.