Macular pigment measurements

摘要

Apparatus for use in measuring the density and spatial distribution of macular pigment in an eye comprises a camera ( 4 ) for capturing a color image of an eye, at least one filter ( 36 ) for filtering light reaching the camera (preferably by filtering the light illuminating the eye). The filter ( 36 ) has a transmission spectrum with one peak in the region of light absorbed by the pigment and another peak in a region where no such absorption occurs. The filter increases the sensitivity of the camera to macular pigment while enabling the effect of other pigments to be reduced or eliminated. A method of measuring macular pigment involves obtaining a color image of an eye, the image having two color components each having a spectrum having a respective one of said peaks. Corresponding portions of the components are mathematically combined so as to provide a measurement of macular pigment density and the results of the combination are used to provide an output representative of the contribution of macular pigment to the image.