Best Vitamins For Macular Degeneration
Mon Feb 14, 2022
Much of the information in this blog post references Macular Degeneration: A Complete Guide for Patients and Their Families, by Michael A. Samuel, M.D.
Its no secret that a healthy diet along with the appropriate vitamins and supplements is important for a healthy body. Its likely that youre already aware that Omega-3 is good for cardiovascular health and that calcium and vitamin D are essential for healthy bones but did you know our eyes are also in need of specific vitamins and supplements? That need only increases if you are at risk for or have already developed macular degeneration.
The Dose Of Vitamin E In The Areds Formulation Is Higher Than The Recommended Dietary Allowance Is This Safe
The recommended dietary allowance of vitamin E for adults over 14 years old is 22.4 IU but it is not the maximum dose. Rather, it is the dose that nutrition experts have decided is sufficient for most people to remain healthy. The AREDS formula contains 400 IU to provide vitamin E beyond usual dietary intake.
The AREDS and AREDS2 trials found no adverse effects of 400 IU/day vitamin E. Other studies of adults taking more than 1,500 IU/day from natural vitamin E and 1,100 IU/day for synthetic vitamin E observed increased risk of bleeding, including brain bleeds. Most studies of vitamin E supplementation below these levels have shown beneficial or no effects on heart disease.
However, vitamin E can interact with some medications, including blood thinners, chemotherapeutic agents, and lipid-lowering drugs. NEI recommends consulting with a health care provider before taking vitamin E or other nutritional supplements.
For more information, please see the NIH Office of Dietary Supplements page on vitamin E.
How Good Is The Evidence
National Institute for Health and Care Excellence is the organisation that considers the evidence behind treatments for all general health conditions and provide patients, health professionals and the general 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.
They reviewed the evidence around the use of these supplements, which includes the two large scale studies, AREDS and AREDS 2. They found that the evidence that they benefit people with AMD was not strong enough to recommend that people take these supplements. NICE have made a recommendation that further large-scale studies are needed before they can be confident that the AREDS2 formula is effective at preventing worsening of AMD.
However, so far theres no other research of the same quality to compare these results to, and so at present this is the only information we have to go with regarding vitamin and mineral supplements and AMD.
This 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.
Although generally regarded as safe, vitamin supplements may have harmful effects. Therefore, it is always important to get medical advice before starting to take any supplement.
I have some problems with my vision due to AMD, could taking a supplement help me?
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Monitoring Vision And Regular Eye Examinations
It is important if you are diagnosed with early AMD to monitor your vision for changes. Your optometrist can advise you how you can do this.
Having regular eye examinations are an important health check for your eyes and will also allow your optometrist to monitor for any changes if you have AMD. Your optometrist will be able to tell you how often you need an eye examination.
Coping
Being diagnosed with an eye condition can be very upsetting. You may find that you are worried about the future and how you will manage with a change in your vision. Were here to support you every step of the way, and to answer any questions you may have just get in touch with our Sight Loss Advice Service.
If you have experienced sight loss, there are things you can do to make the most of your remaining vision. This may mean making things bigger or smaller, using brighter lighting or using colour to make things easier to see. A low vision assessment can explore how to make the most of your sight. Your GP, optometrist or ophthalmologist can refer you to your local low vision service for an assessment. You can also find out tips for making the most of your sight by downloading our guide:
You should also ask whether you are eligible to register as sight impaired or severely sight impaired . Registration can act as your passport to expert help and sometimes to financial concessions. Even if you arent registered a lot of this support is still available to you.
What Is Preservision Areds2 Formula
PreserVision AREDS2 is an eye supplement that might help improve the strength of the eye. It might be very useful in correcting moderate to advanced age-related macular degeneration .
The supplement is composed of different vitamins and minerals that might help in correcting the deficiency of lutein and zeaxanthin in the body.
The supplement also contains some compounds that might help ensure that eye care is improved, which might lead to a healthier eye.
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How Much Is Eye Vitamins For Macular Degeneration
eye vitamins for macular degeneration come in a variety of designs and pricing ranges. Its difficult to predict product costs nowadays. You dont know how much something costs because the pricing range is so vast. For example, a pair of pants can range from $20 to $200 depending on where you buy them. Similarly, additional goods like as eye vitamins for macular degeneration.
Preservision Areds 2 Eye Vitamin & Mineral Supplement Contains Lutein Vitamin C Zeaxanthin Zinc & Vitamin E 120 Softgels
$ as of February 26, 2022 8:18 pm
Features
- PRESERVISION AREDS 2 EYE VITAMINS: This formula uses Lutein & Zeaxanthin, zinc, copper, Vitamin C & Vitamin E to exactly match the nutrient formula recommended by the AMD experts at the National Eye Institute based on the Age Related Eye Disease Study 2.
- AREDS 2 SUPPLEMENT: PreserVision is the #1 doctor recommended eye vitamin based on 20 years of clinical studies to help reduce the risk of progression of moderate to advanced Age-related Macular Degeneration, & uses Lutein & Zeaxanthin.
- EYE VITAMINS FOR HEALTHY EYES: Bausch + Lomb carries a full line of ocular supplements with vitamins, minerals & nutrients that promote eye health, including Ocuvite eye vitamins for general eye health & PreserVision for age-related eye health concerns.
- BAUSCH + LOMB EYE CARE EXPERTS: In 1853, John Jacob Bausch opened an optical goods store in Rochester, New York. Since then, Bausch + Lomb has continued to focus on innovation and quality in eye care products, from contact lenses to lubricant eye drops.
- BAUSCH + LOMB EYE SUPPLEMENTS: Eye health is more than good vision and at Bausch + Lomb, were focused on all aspects of healthy eyes. Try our eye health vitamins and supplements if youve used other supplements based on the AREDS or AREDS2 study.
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Is It Time To Get A New Eye Vitamins For Macular Degeneration
Youre looking for a new eye vitamins for macular degeneration. What do you think? Its difficult to predict future price changes. If there are no signs of production slowing, it can be worth buying now to enjoy your investment sooner. But if output is declining and prices are predicted to rise, you might want to wait until the buzz has died down before making a choice.
Recommended Ingredients In Vision Supplements
As research continues on the benefits of vision supplements in reducing the risk of eye problems , it seems wise to supplement your diet with a daily eye supplement that contains many, if not all, of the following ingredients.
Most of these vitamins and nutrients may play a key role in reducing inflammation and oxidative changes associated with the development of degenerative diseases, including chronic and age-related eye problems:
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Vitamin A and beta-carotene. Vitamin A is necessary for night vision, wound healing and proper functioning of the immune system. Though supplemental beta-carotene has been associated with greater risk of certain cancers among smokers and previous smokers, obtaining a healthy amount of beta-carotene from natural food sources does not appear to elevate this risk.
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Vitamin B complex . B complex vitamins may help reduce chronic inflammation and prevent elevated homocysteine levels in the blood, which have been associated with vascular problems affecting the retina. B vitamins also may play a role in reducing the risk of macular degeneration and in the treatment of uveitis, a common cause of blindness.
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Vitamin C. Some studies have found vitamin C, a powerful antioxidant, is associated with reduced risk of cataracts.
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Best Budget Eye Vitamin Supplement: Puritan Pride Lutigold
Puritan Pride is a renowned name in the health and wellness industry since 1973. The company says that they source ingredients from 106 countries and follow standards in choosing and manufacturing its vitamins, which have been laid down by the FDA.
Lutigold is one of the over 1000 products offered by Puritan Pride and is one of the most cost-effective eye vitamin supplements containing a high lutein dosage.
About Puritan Pride Lutigold
Lutein is a powerful antioxidant that fights free radicals in our eyes and restores their natural health. Along with containing a high dosage of lutein, the product also has zeaxanthin, another ingredient beneficial for the eyes.
These scientifically-formulated supplements come in the form of soft gel pills, are made in the USA, and are tested for purity, potency, and consistency.
These eye vitamin soft gels have no artificial colors, flavor, sweeteners, sugar, soy, milk, starch, lactose, sodium, wheat, fish, yeast, gluten, and preservatives.
What it Contains:
Each dose of Puritan Pride Lutigold contains:
- Lutigold lutein 40 mg
- Zeaxanthin 1600 mcg
Other ingredients include Safflower Oil, Gelatin, Vegetable Glycerin, and Yellow Beeswax.
Each bottle of Lutigold contains 120 easy to swallow gel-based pills. According to the dosage guidelines, it is recommended to take each dose of one pill every day with a meal.
The Pros:
- Easy to swallow soft gels
- Lactose, gluten, and sugar-free
- No artificial sweetener or preservatives
The Updated Areds2 Forumula
Based on the AREDS2 trial, the recommended supplement formulation was changed to2:
- 500 mg of vitamin C
- 400 IU of vitamin E
- 80 mg zinc as zinc oxide
- 2 mg copper as cupric oxide
- 10 mg lutein
- 2 mg zeaxanthin
It is also recommended to add omega-3 fatty acids, especially DHA and EPA. DHA is necessary for the health of retinal cells and helps promote retinal development and repair.2
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Delayed Progression Not Prevention
If taking AREDS 2 Formula vitamins can prevent AMD from progressing, it would make sense that AREDS 2 Formula might be a good preventative supplement to begin taking at a young age but this is not the case.
Studies have shown that these supplements are safe to take, but there have not been any lifelong studies to show that long-term use of AREDS 2 is safe or effective. Therefore, AREDS 2 vitamins are only recommended for people upon recommendation of the ophthalmologist for those with a specific number of drusen and/or those who have lost vision in one eye.
Its important to note that nutritional vitamins and supplements do not prevent AMD, however, studies have shown that AREDS 2 supplements may delay progress from the intermediate to the advanced stage of AMD. The overall goal of vitamin supplementation is to enable people with AMD to keep their vision longer.
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Other Supplements For Wet Amd
In addition to those vitamins included in the AREDS 2 mix, folate can be extremely helpful for maintaining good eye health and slowing the progression of wet AMD. You can increase your folate intake through a supplement or by eating folate-rich foods like:
- oranges
- lake trout
- canned light tuna
If you dont like or dont eat fish, you can take an omega-3 supplement or find omega-3s in:
- flaxseed
- canola oil
- some fortified foods
Vitamin A is another supplement that can boost your eye health. If youve ever heard the phrase eating carrots is good for your eyes, thats because they actually are. Carrots are rich in vitamin A, which can slow wet AMD progression.
However, vitamin A, which is also known as beta-carotene, does come with the risks noted above, so its important to keep an eye on your intake and check with your doctor before taking it.
Why Is The Zinc Dosage Less Than Areds 2 Formula
The Macular Health Formula contains 40 mg of zinc compared to the AREDS 2 formula which contains 80 mg. 3 This may have you wondering, why there is only half the amount of zinc in the formula we refer to as Beyond AREDS 2? To answer this, well dive into the AREDS and AREDS 2 studies.
In the original AREDS formula, there was 80 mg of zinc. In AREDS 2, this dosage was tested and compared with that of 25 mg of zinc due to concern of over-mineralization. The study found no difference in the different dosages, meaning there was no additional benefit to having 80 mg of zinc and no negative impact of only 25 mg of zinc.3
And for some reason, the AREDS 2 formula dosage remained at 80 mg even though there was no perceived benefit.3 This elevated dosage without reason may cause concern because, when it comes to zinc, it is possible to have too much of a good thing.
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What Is The Risk Of Lung Cancer From Taking Beta
In the AREDS2 trial, current smokers or those who had quit smoking less than a year before enrollment were excluded from receiving beta-carotene. Despite this precaution, lung cancers were observed in 2% of participants who took an AREDS formulation with beta-carotene, compared with 0.9% of participants who took AREDS without beta-carotene. Across both groups, about 91% of participants who developed lung cancer were former smokers.
Are There Any Risks Or Side Effects
Because AREDS 2 supplements have very large amounts of vitamins and minerals, they may change the way your body digests food. They can also change the way that other medicines work in your body.
An older type of these supplements called AREDS instead of AREDS 2 have beta-carotene, which can increase the risk of lung cancer in people who smoke or used to smoke. AREDS 2 supplements dont have beta-carotene. So if you smoke or used to smoke, make sure to choose the newer AREDS 2 supplements.
Always talk with your doctor before you start taking a new medicine or supplement and tell them about all the other medicines, vitamins, and supplements you take. Your doctor can help you understand the risks and benefits of taking AREDS 2.
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Naturelo Eye Health Vitamins
Inside each bottle of these Naturelo Eye Health Vitamins, youll find 60 tablets, enough for a one month supply. The tablets are free from GMOs, additives and preservatives. They are also vegetarian and vegan-friendly. These supplements are an ideal choice for people of all ages. The capsules contain a combination of eye-friendly minerals, vitamins, herbs, phyto-nutrients and omega-3s. Furthermore, this natural supplement works to alleviate dry eyes and visual fatigue while delivering sharp and clear vision. Many of the ingredients included in the capsules have been clinically proven to benefit the health and function of your eyes.
Ranking The Best Eye Vitamins Of 2021
Eye vitamins are supplements that support and improve your ability to see. Getting the right level of vitamins and minerals for your eyes can help maintain your vision as you get older.
Large, multi-site clinical trials have demonstrated that the right eye vitamin can prevent macular degeneration in adults over 50 and retain the same quality of eyesight that you had when you were young.
Our research team has evaluated the best eye supplements out there according to the latest clinical research recommendations and found your best options for protecting and preserving your eyesight as you get older.
Research
Dont let impaired vision slow you down. Whether youre dealing with age-related macular degeneration, glaucoma, or poor cataracts, use VitaBalance Lutenol to give your eyes the nutrients they need to stay healthy.
This formula contains the powerful antioxidant, Lutein, to protect your eyes from light exposure, and Zeaxanthin to protect the retina from light damages, as well as zinc and vitamins A, C, and E to protect, strengthen, and repair your eyes.
Together, its the most potent formula weve seen for your eyessupporting healthy eye function and improving retina, lens and macula health.
Thats probably because Lutenol was developed in response to scientific research into the natural ingredients that improve eye health and function.
All natural. Made in an FDA-registered facility that follows GMP guidelines.
The all-around eye vitamin winner of 2021.
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