{
  "abstract": "Purpose To evaluate the effects of scleral iontophoresis lutein delivery on macular pigment optical density (MPOD), retinal anatomy and function in patients with intermediate age-related macular degeneration (iAMD).Methods This prospective pilot study included 15 phakic eyes from patients with iAMD. All participants underwent a single session of trans-scleral iontophoresis with a liposomal lutein formulation. MPOD, central macular thickness (CMT), choroidal vascularity index (CVI) and retinal sensitivity (RS) were assessed at baseline (T0), and at 1 month (T1), 3 months (T2) and 6 months (T3).Results MPOD showed a significant overall change across time points (χ²=11.01, p=0.012), with significant differences between T1 and T3 (p=0.006) and T2 and T3 (p=0.018). CMT significantly decreased at T3 compared with earlier visits (p≤0.002). RS declined at early time points (T1 and T2 vs T0; p=0.027 and p=0.002, respectively), while CVI exhibited modest reductions by T2 and T3 (p=0.021 and p=0.017). A significant inverse correlation was found between ΔMPOD and ΔRS at T2–T0 (ρ=−0.520, p=0.035). Best-corrected visual acuity remained stable across all visits.Conclusions The inverse correlation between MPOD change and RS decline at 3 months raises the possibility that early augmentation of MP may provide a protective functional effect. These data support the short-term feasibility of scleral iontophoresis for targeted lutein delivery.",
  "authors": [
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Department of Neurosciences, Imaging and Clinical Sciences, University \"G. d'Annunzio\" Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy",
        "Ophthalmology Clinic, SS Annunziata Hospital, Chieti, Italy"
      ],
      "name": "Rodolfo Mastropasqua"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Department of Neurosciences, Imaging and Clinical Sciences, University \"G. d'Annunzio\" Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy",
        "Ophthalmology Clinic, SS Annunziata Hospital, Chieti, Italy"
      ],
      "name": "Alberto Quarta"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Department of Neurosciences, Imaging and Clinical Sciences, University \"G. d'Annunzio\" Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy",
        "Ophthalmology Clinic, SS Annunziata Hospital, Chieti, Italy"
      ],
      "name": "Marzia Passamonti"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Department of Neurosciences, Imaging and Clinical Sciences, University \"G. d'Annunzio\" Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy",
        "Ophthalmology Clinic, SS Annunziata Hospital, Chieti, Italy"
      ],
      "name": "Carolina Lorenzi"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Department of Neurosciences, Imaging and Clinical Sciences, University \"G. d'Annunzio\" Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy",
        "Ophthalmology Clinic, SS Annunziata Hospital, Chieti, Italy"
      ],
      "name": "Maria Ludovica Ruggeri"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Ophthalmology Clinic, SS Annunziata Hospital, Chieti, Italy",
        "Department of Medical, Oral and Biotechnological Sciences, Gabriele d'Annunzio University of Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy"
      ],
      "name": "Matteo Gironi"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Department of Neurosciences, Imaging and Clinical Sciences, University \"G. d'Annunzio\" Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy",
        "Ophthalmology Clinic, SS Annunziata Hospital, Chieti, Italy"
      ],
      "name": "Cesare Persavalli"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Department of Neurosciences, Imaging and Clinical Sciences, University \"G. d'Annunzio\" Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy",
        "Ophthalmology Clinic, SS Annunziata Hospital, Chieti, Italy"
      ],
      "name": "Luca Belloni Baroni"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Department of Neurosciences, Imaging and Clinical Sciences, University \"G. d'Annunzio\" Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy",
        "Ophthalmology Clinic, SS Annunziata Hospital, Chieti, Italy"
      ],
      "name": "Corina De Santis Ciacci"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Ophthalmology Clinic, SS Annunziata Hospital, Chieti, Italy"
      ],
      "name": "Raffaella Aloia"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Department of Neurosciences, Imaging and Clinical Sciences, University \"G. d'Annunzio\" Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy",
        "Ophthalmology Clinic, SS Annunziata Hospital, Chieti, Italy"
      ],
      "name": "Nicola Della Penna"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Ophthalmology Clinic, SS Annunziata Hospital, Chieti, Italy",
        "Department of Medical, Oral and Biotechnological Sciences, Gabriele d'Annunzio University of Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy"
      ],
      "name": "Lisa Toto"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Department of Medical, Oral and Biotechnological Sciences, Gabriele d'Annunzio University of Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy"
      ],
      "name": "Paolo Carpineto"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Ophthalmology Clinic, SS Annunziata Hospital, Chieti, Italy",
        "Department of Medical, Oral and Biotechnological Sciences, Gabriele d'Annunzio University of Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy"
      ],
      "name": "Leonardo Mastropasqua"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Macular pigment optical density following lutein scleral iontophoresis in intermediate age-related macular degeneration: A six-month pilot study",
  "uid": "81c2a78e-c4f1-51f1-acb7-1529caaa7a15"
}