Carotenoids and Retinal Disease

The macular carotenoids play key roles in eye health and retinal disease. Age-related macular degeneration (AMD), the most common cause of acquired blindness in much of the world, is associated with low levels of macular pigment. Macular pigment is also essential for enhancing visual performance by reducing glare disability and improving photostres

About the Author

John T. Landrum, PhD , is a professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at Florida International University (FIU), where in addition to his role as a faculty member he serves as a director at the Office of Pre-Health Professions Advising for the College of Arts and Sciences. His current research efforts are focused on understanding the mechanisms of biological recognition of individual carotenoids, their absorption and transport, and their role in the developing human eye. In 2004, Professor Landrum's contributions in the field of chemistry were recognized by the FIU with an award for Excellence in Research. He has authored or coauthored 66 articles and chapters in peer-reviewed journals and books. John M. Nolan, Ph.D. , is a Fulbright scholar, Howard and European Research Council (ERC) Fellow, adjunct professor of Trinity College Dublin, and principal investigator of the Macular Pigment Research Group (MPRG), Waterford Institute of Technology, Ireland. Professor Nolan was one of the founders of the MPRG, which leads world-class research initiatives in the role of eye nutrition for vision and prevention of blindness and which is now the largest group worldwide studying the macular carotenoids.