Macular Pigment Assessment in Indian Population Using Degree of Polarization Threshold: Impact of Diet on Macular Pigment Density.

Purpose: To determine macular pigment (MP) density scores in healthy Indians and examine correlations with demographic and lifestyle variables.
Methods: We observed 484 Indians without an ocular pathology. Body mass index (BMI) and self-reported lifestyle factors (sunglasses usage, physical activity, and smoking) were noted. MP density was assessed as the threshold of perception of the shadow of their macular pigments on their retina using a new MP assessment tool (MP-eye). Lutein and zeaxanthin intake was assessed using a prevalidated questionnaire regionally designed for the Indian diet. Clusters of participants were created for statistical analysis based on MP-eye scores secondarily to detect any relevant effects in very low, low, medium, and high ranges of MPs.
Results: Data analyzed included 235 males and 249 females with mean age of 36.1 ± 12.9 years (range, 14-72). The median MP-eye score was 6 (range, 0-10, with 10 being high). Most were non-smokers (413, 85.3%) and did not use sunglasses (438, 90.5%), and 314 (64.9%) had low physical activity. Diabetes was present in 62 participants (12.8%) and hypertension in 53 (10.9%). Advancing age (r = -0.209; P < 0.000) and BMI (r = -0.094; P = 0.038) had weak negative correlation with MP-eye scores. Hypertension was less prevalent (7/88) in the cluster with the highest median MP-eye score (P = 0.033). Dietary intake of MPs and other lifestyle factors did not correlate significantly with MP-eye score overall or when analyzed in clusters.
Conclusions: MP-eye scores of an Indian population were normally distributed. Higher age, high BMI, and presence of hypertension were weakly associated with lower MP-eye scores. The impact of diet on MPs requires further evaluation.
Translational Relevance: This normative regional database enables risk stratification of macular degeneration.