AREDS2 VISION DEFENDER AMD Supplement: Lutein, Zeaxanthin, Zinc, Vitamin E – AREDS 2 Eye Vitamins, Minerals, Nutrients for Eyes. 3 Months Supply (90 tablets) One-A-Day Vegan Eye Supplement. Made in UK

Product Information

Lutein and zeaxanthin filter harmful high-energy blue wave lengths of light and help to protect and maintain healthy cells in the eyes. Vitamin C and E help to protect cells from oxidative stress and zinc helps to maintain normal vision. If you have difficulty digesting food, your GP may recommend a supplement so that you can get the right amount, but most people can get all the vitamins and minerals they need through diet alone. Your lifestyle Vitamin C 500 mg: Vitamin C is a vitamin that is present throughout all parts of the retina of the eye and is thought to be protective against AMD. Dunaif J. Vitamins for age-related macular degeneration: Do you have the correct formula? Bright Focus Foundation.

In the early stages of AMD, it is possible to have changes at the macula, which an optometrist or ophthalmologist can see when they examine your eye, but not have any problems with your sight. However, so far there’s no other research of the same quality to compare these results to, and so at present this is the only information we must go with regarding vitamin and mineral supplements and AMD. Talk with your ophthalmologist about whether nutritional supplements are recommended for you. Here are some topics to discuss: Tan JS, Wang JJ, et al. Dietary antioxidants and the long-term incidence of age-related macular degeneration: the Blue Mountains Eye Study. Ophthalmology. 2008 Feb;115(2):334-41. doi: 10.1016/j.ophtha.2007.03.083. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17664009/ Be aware of:Supplements NOT containing standardised amounts of the active compounds anthocyanins and procyanidins, particularly if the amounts are not shown at all, as the content of the active compounds would be unknown.

Recommendations: A supplement containing both bilberry extract 80mg (standardised to 36% anthocyanins) and pine bark extract 40mg (standardised to 70% procyanidins). The studies show that this combination needs to be taken for a minimum of 3 months and preferably 6 months or more for optimal effect. The AREDS2 formula has largely superseded the original AREDS formula, and remains the ‘Gold Standard’ in nutritional supplementation in AMD. Snyder Taggart M. Retinal pigment epithelium: The eye’s first line of defense against macular degeneration. Bright Focus Foundation.

The aim of these studies was to find out whether taking a vitamin formula could help slow down the development of AMD. People on these trials were given high levels of antioxidant vitamins and zinc to see if these could slow down the progression of AMD so that it does not reach the stage where vision is severely affected (“late” AMD). Results of AREDS A supplement containing DHA/EPA omega-3 should also been considered – especially since taking 250mg DHA ‘contributes to the maintenance of normal vision’ and is an authorised EU health claim! This specific nutrient combination has been formulated to match the supplements used in Phase 2 of the Age Related Eye Disease Study (AREDS2). The AREDS studies are large, scientific trials conducted by the National Eye Institute in the United States, which looked at the role of dietary supplements in Age Related Macular Degeneration. Your optometrist or ophthalmologist might say you have early AMD if you have larger drusen in one or both your eyes. Other changes at the macula, as well as drusen, will indicate whether your early AMD has a low, medium, or high risk of progression (worsening). Some studies have suggested that exposure to high levels of sunlight (particularly the UV light contained in sunlight) throughout your life may increase your risk of developing AMD, but this has not been proven. However, wearing sunglasses to protect your eyes from the UV light in sunlight is a good idea for everyone throughout their life. Monitoring vision and regular eye examinationsThis means that at present these supplements cannot be clearly recommended to everyone with AMD. More research is needed to determine if antioxidant and other supplements marketed for AMD are worth taking. Zinc oxide 80 mg or 25 mg:Zinc is a trace mineral, thought to play an important role in the function of the retina. Zinc depletion results in difficulty with adapting to night vision and other reduced functions of the retina.

Based on the results of AREDS and AREDS2 and concerns about the risk of beta-carotene for smokers, the current recommended daily formula to slow down the progression of AMD in people already diagnosed is: People who have a certain form of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) may benefit from a specific mix of vitamins and minerals. Taking these nutritional supplements might help slow this eye disease. Antioxidants reduce this harmful effect. Vitamins A, C and E are antioxidants. Carotenoids are also effective against oxidants. Lutein and zeaxanthin are important carotenoids. Many of these substances can only be obtained from food. Snellen EL, Verbeek AL, et al. Neovascular age-related macular degeneration and its relationship to antioxidant intake. Acta Ophthalmol Scand. 2002 Aug;80(4):368-71. doi: 10.1034/j.1600-0420.2002.800404.x. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12190777/ National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is the organisation that considers the evidence behind treatments for all general health conditions and provide patients, health professionals and the public with reliable guidance on current best medical practice. NICE has not approved the use of antioxidant vitamins and minerals in the management of AMD.

Should you take nutritional supplements for AMD?

Terms and conditions for RNIB Summer 2023 Raffle Speed Draw to win a Regency Hampers luxury picnic hamper Some studies suggest very light cooking may increase the bioavailability of lutein; that is the ease with which the body can absorb the lutein. An optometrist or ophthalmologist may see “drusen” when they examine your retina. Drusen are small deposits under the retina, which they can see as yellow dots. Drusen can be present as a normal part of ageing and are not always a sign that someone has AMD.

Early-stage AMD is always dry AMD. Late AMD is when you have wet AMD or dry AMD which has caused extensive scarring to the macula and significant changes to your sight. Wet AMD

Macushield Gold is formulated to be the exact same combination as that used in the 2nd phase of the AREDS trial. A study published in the journal Ophthalmology , found that whilst all of the supplements studied contained the ingredients from the AREDS or AREDS2 formula, only 4 out of 11 (36%) contained equivalent doses of AREDS or AREDS2 ingredients.