Age-Related Macular Degeneration
ARMD is the cause of vision loss mainly associated with aging, but some forms of macular degeneration affect younger people as well. ARMD occurs when there’s deterioration of light-sensitive cells in the macula area of the retina. This is the part of the eye responsible for:
- Recording what we see and sending the information to our brains
- Seeing fine detail
- Focusing
AREDS2 conducted trials with thousands of patients at age groups across and made the final recommendations as below
| Vitamin C | 500 mg |
| Vitamin E | 400 IU |
| Lutein | 10 mg |
| Zeaxanthin | 2 mg |
| Zinc | 80 mg |
| Copper | 2 mg |
Lutein and Zeaxanthin
Lutein and Zeaxanthin are carotenoids. Carotenoids are pigments found in plants and in the retina. Supplementing these pigments helps increase their density in the retina. They also absorb high-energy blue and ultraviolet light that can damage the eyes.
Zinc
Also found naturally in your eyes, Zinc is a powerful antioxidant that protects against cell damage. Zinc is the primary mineral in the AREDS2 formulation. When taking zinc, copper absorption is lessened. It’s recommended that zinc be combined with copper supplements.
Vitamin C
Several studies show that vitamin C reduces the risk of getting some types of cataracts. Some of these studies also found that a combination of vitamins C and E supplements reduced risk for cataracts and slowed the progression of cataracts.