FOVEAL CONE PHOTOPIGMENT DISTRIBUTION - SMALL ALTERATIONS ASSOCIATED WITH MACULAR PIGMENT DISTRIBUTION

PURPOSE. TO map the photopigment distribution of central foveal cones in healthy adult subjects before potential onset of age-related macula r degeneration. To compare alterations in cone photopigment distributi on to those of macular pigment and examine those loci for subretinal c hanges. METHODS. Eleven healthy subjects (age range, 31-59 years) unde rwent reflectometry with a scanning laser ophthalmoscope. The differen ce in cone photopigment density in the fovea was mapped for the long-w avelength- and middle-wavelength-sensitive cones, using 594-nm light. Macular pigment was mapped with 488-nm and 514-nm light. Subretinal ch anges were investigated with infrared imaging (830-860 nm). RESULTS. M ost Subjects had small alterations in the regularity of their foveal c one photopigment distribution. Alterations were spatially related to m acular pigment alterations but not to the presence of subretinal defec ts. Subjects were classified into three groups according to the type o f alterations in the regularity of pigment distributions: central peak of photopigment and macular pigment, small foveal alterations, and br oad distribution with missing central peak of photopigment. or macular pigment. The resultant groups differed significantly in age, 43, 46, and 59 years, for groups 1, 2, and 3, respectively (P < 0.05). CONCLUS IONS. Small alterations in the distributions of foveal cone photopigme nt or macular pigment were found that varied among the subjects. Large r alterations in older subjects may indicate changes in foveal archite cture with age, including potential vulnerability of central cones bef ore the onset of clinically significant changes in the retinal pigment epithelium.