Retinal pigment epithelial lipofuscin and melanin and choroidal melanin in XXXX eyes.

@entity1 @entity735 @entity6973 @entity989
Optical measurements of the pigments of the @entity989 ( @entity989 ) and choroid were made on 38 @entity1 @entity735 and whites, varying in age between 2 wk and 90 yr old. Lipofuscin in melanin-bleached @entity989 was measured as fluorescence at 470 mm following excitation at 365 nm and was found to be proportional to fluorescence measured at 560 nm in unbleached tissue. Transmission measurements of @entity989 and choroidal melanin were converted and expressed as optical density units. The choroidal melanin content increased from the periphery to the posterior pole. @entity989 melanin concentration decreased from the periphery to the posterior pole with an increase in the macula. Conversely, the amount of @entity989 lipofuscin increased from the periphery to the posterior pole with a consistent dip at the fovea. There was an inverse relationship between @entity989 lipofuscin concentration and @entity989 melanin concentration. The @entity989 melanin content was similar between whites and blacks. @entity6973 concentration was significantly greater (P = 0.002) in the @entity989 of whites compared to blacks; whereas blacks had a significantly greater (P = 0.005) choroidal melanin content than whites. The amounts of both choroidal and @entity989 melanin showed a trend of decreasing content with aging, whereas the amount @entity989 lipofuscin tended to increase (whites greater than blacks). Per fundus area, the amount of choroidal melanin was always greater than that in the @entity989 . There was a statistically significant (P = 0.001) increase in @entity989 height with age, most marked in eyes of whites after age 50 and correlated with the increase in @entity6973 concentration.
