Macular pigment (MP) is composed of lutein, zeaxanthin, and meso-zeaxanthin, which accumulate mainly at the macula. MP has antioxidant function and can filtering blue wave. Measurement of MP is about its optical density, that is, macular pigment optical density (MPOD). This review summarizes the function and clinical use of MP and MPOD. Researches has show that MPOD is related to some ocular disease such as age-related macular degeneration, macular telangiectasia type 2, diabetic retinopathy, Stargardt disease et al. MPOD can be used in the judgment of clinical diagnosis, treatment effect. The specific mechanism of MP metabolism in the retina and in the pathogenesis of the disease, genotype specific nutritional therapy of xanthophyll, the establishment of a database combined with artificial intelligence and the rapid and convenient MP determination are all issues of great contention that need to be resolved.
