Editing Macula (section)

===Color===
Because the macula is yellow in color, it absorbs excess blue and ultraviolet light that enter the eye and acts as a natural sunblock (analogous to sunglasses) for this area of the retina. The yellow color comes from its content of [[lutein]] and [[zeaxanthin]], which are yellow [[xanthophyll]] [[carotenoid]]s, derived from the diet. Zeaxanthin predominates at the macula, while lutein predominates elsewhere in the retina. There is some evidence that these carotenoids protect the pigmented region from some types of [[macular degeneration]]. A formulation of 10&nbsp;[[Milligrams|mg]] lutein and 2&nbsp;mg zeaxanthin has been shown to reduce the risk of age-related macular degeneration progressing to advanced stages, although these carotenoids have not been shown to prevent the disease.<ref name="pmid25709776">{{cite journal | author=Hobbs RP, Bernstein PS | title=Nutrient Supplementation for Age-related Macular Degeneration, Cataract, and Dry Eye | journal=Journal of Ophthalmic and Vision Research | volume=9 | issue=4 | year=2014 | pages=487–493 | doi=10.4103/2008-322X.150829 | pmid=25709776 | pmc=4329711 | doi-access=free }}</ref>

After death or [[Enucleation of the eye|enucleation]] (removal of the eye), the macula appears yellow, a color that is not visible in the living eye except when viewed with light from which red has been filtered.<ref name="BrittonLiaaen-Jensen2009">{{cite book|last1=Britton|first1=George|last2=Liaaen-Jensen|first2=Synnove|author-link2=Synnøve Liaaen Jensen|last3=Pfander|first3=Hanspeter|title=Carotenoids Volume 5: Nutrition and Health|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=c8USiLi73dUC&pg=PA301|access-date=7 November 2014|date= 2009|publisher=Springer Science & Business Media|isbn=978-3-7643-7501-0|page=301}}</ref>