Lutein, Zeaxanthin for Healthy Eyes

Supplementation with the carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin could boost eye health, a new study reports.

Researchers from the University of Georgia, Athens, GA, explained that many parameters of visual performance (e.g., contrast sensitivity) are compromised under glaring light conditions. Recent data indicate that macular pigment is strongly related to improvements in glare disability and photostress recovery based on a filtering mechanism.

The study assessed the causality of this relation by supplementing lutein and zeaxanthin for six months while measuring macular pigment, glare disability and photostress recovery.

Forty healthy subjects (mean age 23.9 years) were followed for six months and assessed at baseline, one, two, four and six months.

The researchers studied the effects of glare as experienced in many everday situations, from being outdoors on bright, sunny days, to lengthy periods looking at computer monitors and night time exposure to the intense beam of oncoming headlights on the subjects' eyes. Lutein and zeaxanthin were found to reduce the deleterious effects of glare.

The study authors concluded that macular pigment is strongly related to improvements in glare disability and photostress recovery in a manner strongly consistent with its spectral absorption and spatial profile. Four to six months of 12 milligrams of daily lutein and zeaxanthin supplementation significantly increases macular pigment optical density and improves visual performance in glare for most subjects.

1.    Stringham JM, Hammond BR. Macular pigment and visual performance under glare conditions. Optom Vis Sci. 2008 Feb;85(2):82-8..
2.    Natural Standard Research Collaboration: The Authority on Integrative Medicine. www.naturalstandard.com. Copyright © 2008.