The relationship between foveal short-wavelength-sensitive visual function and macular pigment optical density in the ageing age

•The potential protective role of macular pigment in the human eye was investigated.•Macular pigment levels did not change significantly with increasing age.•S-cone mediated foveal acuity declined with age irrespective of macular pigment level.•Higher macular pigment levels do not protect S-cone mediated foveal acuity in the ageing eye.

To investigate the role of macular pigment in preserving foveal short-wavelength-sensitive (SWS) visual function in the ageing eye orientation identification acuity was measured in the fovea and at 12° eccentricity (nasal visual field) under SWS-cone isolating conditions in 73 participants (aged 20–71). Macular pigment optical density (MPOD) was measured at 0.5° eccentricity from the foveal centre using a heterochromatic flicker photometry (HFP) based instrument. MPOD was not significantly related to age but reduced SWS orientation identification acuity was associated with increasing age in the fovea and at 12° eccentricity. The rate at which foveal acuity changed in relation to acuity at 12° with increasing age was not significantly related to macular pigment levels. These findings do not support the hypothesis that higher macular pigment levels protect S-cone mediated foveal visual function in the ageing eye.