Source: https://www.osapublishing.org/josaa/abstract.cfm?uri=josaa-36-4-B123
Timestamp: 2019-04-18 16:45:01+00:00

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Macular pigments (MPs), by absorbing potentially toxic short-wavelength (400–500 nm) visible light, provide protection against photo-chemical damage thought to be relevant in the pathogenesis of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). A method of screening for low levels of MPs could be part of a prevention strategy for helping people to delay the onset of AMD. We introduce a new method for assessing MP density that takes advantage of the polarization-dependent absorption of blue light by MPs, which results in the entoptic phenomenon called Haidinger’s brushes (HB). Subjects were asked to identify the direction of rotation of HB when presented with a circular stimulus illuminated with an even intensity of polarized white light in which the electric field vector was rotating either clockwise or anti-clockwise. By reducing the degree of polarization of the stimulus light, a threshold for perceiving HB (degree of polarization threshold) was determined and correlated (r2=0.66) to macular pigment optical density assessed using dual-wavelength fundus autofluoresence. The speed and ease of measurement of degree of polarization threshold makes it well suited for large-scale screening of macular pigmentation.
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» Visualization 1 Representation of the perception of Haidinger’s brushes as observed under white linearly polarized light rotating clockwise.
Fig. 1. Schematic description of how the orientation of macular pigments leads to the perception of the Haidinger’s brushes phenomenon. Average orientation of (a) macular pigment molecules in the cell membrane is normal to the surface of the lipid bilayer . This orientation leads to macular pigments being oriented radially relative to (b) the cylindrical shape of the axons of the photoreceptors in the Henle fiber layer, made more apparent by (c) and (d) the removal of the lipid bi- layer. The average alignment of the macular pigments is therefore at right angles to the axon when observed side-on (d), resulting in a net orientation (e) perpendicular to the long axis of the axons (f) that radiate out from the center of the fovea. The absorption of polarized light with (g) its electric field vector oriented vertically by the short- wavelength absorbing and diattenuating macula will be maximum in areas of the macula where the MPs are aligned with the orientation of the electric field vector (minimum transmittance = k2). And absorp- tion will be minimum in areas of the macula where the MPs are aligned perpendicularly with the orientation of the electric field vector (maximum transmittance = k1). This pattern of absorption results in (h) a yellow shadow on the retina in the shape of a bowtie or hour-glass known as Haidinger’s brushes that rotates when the electric field vector rotates (see Visualization 1).
Fig. 2. Schematic diagram of the optical components for the degree of polarization threshold testing device. (a) A custom-built LED panel produces white light that is polarized by a (b) rotatable linear polarizing filter before being transmitted through (c) a custom-made degree of polarization (DoP) filter. (d) A series of apertures reduce the path of light to a narrow angle to stop light reflected from flat surfaces reaching the subject’s eye. (e) A second LED panel identical to (a) is used to diffusely illuminate the viewing tube. Different DoP values can be presented by rotating through (f) a series of filters mounted in a carousel. (g) Stepper motors drive the rotation of both the polarizer and the carousel.
Fig. 3. Frequency histogram of time taken for degree of polarization threshold measurements in clinical settings using the single-descending-pass approach. Four optometrists used our device in their practices and measured the degree of polarization threshold on their patients (n=168). Mean time to acquire a measure of degree of polarization threshold was 53 s (range 16–218 s).
Fig. 4. Distribution of the degree of polarization threshold values for 168 patients measured in four optometry practices during regular eye exams.
Fig. 5. Bland Altman plots for the (a) descending-only method of limits approach and (b) the single-descent approach, showing the difference in test-retest degree of polarization threshold values versus the average of the two degree of polarization threshold values. In both cases (a) and (b), the mean difference (dashed line) was zero, indicating no consistent change in score between the test and retest. The limits of agreement (solid horizontal lines) indicate the 95% confidence intervals.
Fig. 6. Correlation between macular pigment optical density (MPOD) measured as volume by dual-wavelength fundus autofluorescence (2WAF) and degree of polarization threshold measured using (a) the binomial forced-choice approach (r2=0.43) and (b) the descending-only method of limits approach (r2=0.62). The model was fit with nonlinear least-squares regression.
Fig. 7. Theoretical model to predict degree of polarization threshold (TDoP) relative to the density of macular pigment MPD in the macula as per Eq. (1), where k2 was set to 0.91, ΔI was 0.2, and the scaling constant μ was set to 0.0017. Note that MPD has been given arbitrary units as there are numerous measures of MPOD and the relationship is predicted to apply to any such comparison provided the measure of MPD reflects the total amount of pigment in the macula.
Fig. 8. Difference in total macular pigment (volume) for two individuals with similar macular pigment optical density values at eccentricities below 0.5°. Measurements made using dual-wavelength autofluorescence.
Fig. 9. Absolute spectral radiance of the stimulus and background LED. Measured with a USB 2000 spectroradiometer (Ocean Optics, California). Note that the stimulus LED was powered at half power, and this measurement was made at full power.

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