Macular pigment optical density in a Southwestern sample.

Purpose: Increasing evidence implicates macular pigment in protecting the retina and retinal pigment epithelium from light-initiated oxidative damage. Little information, however, is available regarding "average" levels of macular pigment in the general population. This study was designed to assess macular pigment in a high-light environment and to determine what personal characteristics influence macular pigment density in that sample.