A new research shows that people who have more yellow pigment in the eye are able to see distant things in foggy conditions.

The research, led by Laura M Fletcher and colleagues at University of Georgia, Athens, explained that more macular pigment (MP) removes 'blue haze' making distant objects clearer.

For the study, the researchers developed an experiment to replicate hazy conditions in order to determine whether people with higher levels of MP can see distant objects better. The team used  xenon light, paired with a specialized glass filter  to closely approximate the effects of atmospheric haze for the lab studies. The subjects varied widely in the density of MP present in the eye.

When the blue haze background was increased, the distant objects became unclear. Researchers found that the in people with higher levels of MP, the blue haze had to be increased more before they could no longer see the distant target.

The team found twofold difference in the amount of haze required to lose sight of the distant object in people with the highest versus lowest levels of MP. "An individual with high MP optical density would be able to detect a target at a much greater distance (ie, more atmospheric haze between them and the target) than an individual with lower MP optical density," researchers said in a press release.

In the study, the researchers examined the effects of MP on the ability to see distant objects through 'atmospheric scattering,' or haze.

"All human eyes, and many animal eyes, contain an inert yellow pigment that is reported to be both protective and also slightly enhance vision, particularly in short wavelength (blue light) settings," said Anthony Adams, Editor-in-Chief of Optometry and Vision Science, the journal in which the study was published.

The study explained that the yellow pigment in the macula shows build up of the nutrients lutein and zeaxanthin. By filtering out short-wave light, MP may protect long-term damage to the eye.

The researchers said that the findings maintain the 'visibility hypothesis' of MP accumulation which  states that by absorbing atmospheric haze, a predominantly short-wavelength light, the presence of MP may increase visual range outdoors.