Institute of Gerontology


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Billy R. Hammond


bhammond@uga.edu


University of Georgia
Athens, GA 30602-
706.542.4812 (voice)
706.542.3275 (fax)



Research Interests

The primary goal of my research program is to conduct basic and applied studies on the structure and function of the central primate retina and crystalline lens. A primary focus of the laboratory has been the study of the dietary carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin, concentrated within the fovea (termed macular pigment or the macula lutea) and the epithelium of the lens.

Evidence from my studies and others has indicated a major role of the macular pigments in protecting the retina and lens and retarding the development of age-related eye disease. One major result of the work has been to highlight the importance of behavior in the etiology of chronic eye disease. This emphasis is also evident in other studies I have conducted on the role of lifestyle (e.g., smoking and dietary behavior) in promoting cataract.

I am also interested in interactions between the cardiovascular and visual systems. Currently, one of my graduate students is conducting a study on the relationship between blood pressure variations and critical flicker thresholds. Another one of my graduate students is using psychophysical methods to measure age-related variations in the anterior retinal blood supply.



Selected Publications

Hammond, B. R., & Frick, J. E. (2007, accepted). Nutritional protection of the developing retina. The Hong Kong Practicioner.

Stringham, J., Hammond, B.R. , Wooten, B.R. and Snodderly, D.M. (2006). Compensation for light loss due to filtering by macular pigment: Relation to the ?-1 mechanism. Optometry and Vision Sciences. 83 (12), 887-94.

Hammond, B.R., and Wooten, B.R. (2005). Resonance Raman spectroscopic measurement of carotenoids in the skin and retina. Journal of Biomedical Optics, 10, 054002-054014.

Stringham, J.S. and Hammond, B.R. (2005). Dietary lutein and zeaxanthin: Possible effects on visual function. Nutrition Reviews, 63 (2), 59-64.

Hammond, B.R. and Wooten, B.R. (2005). CFF Thresholds: Relation to macular pigment optical density. Ophthalmic and Physiological Optics. 25, 315-319.

Hammond, B.R., Wooten, B.R. and Smollon, B. (2005). II. Validity Assessment: In vivo methods of measuring macular pigment optical density. Optometry and Vision Science, 82(5), 387-404.

Wooten, B.R., Hammond, B.R. and Smollon, B. (2005). Assessment of the validity of heterochromatic flicker photometry for measuring macular pigment optical density in normal subjects. Optometry and Vision Science. 82 (5), 378-386.

Ciulla, T. and Hammond, B.R. (2004). The relation between aging and macular pigment density, assessed in the normal elderly, and subjects with cataracts and age-related macular degeneration. American Journal of Ophthalmology. 138, 582-587.

Hammond, B.R., Wooten, B.R. (2004). Validity issues with the in vivo measurement of skin carotenoids using Raman spectroscopy. Investigative Dermatology. 122, 544-546.

Hammond, B.R., and Wooten, B.R. (2003). Noninvasive assessment of the macular carotenoids. In Ciulla, T.A., Regillo, C.D. and Harris A. (Eds.). Retina and Optic Nerve Imaging. Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins, Delaware, pgs. 231-43.