Lutein and Zeaxanthin:
Do They Protect Eyes and Vision?

By Shereen Jegtvig, Certified Nutrition Specialist (CNS); reviewed by Dr. Brian Boxer Wachler

On this page:

What lutein and zeaxanthin do in the eyes
How to add them to your diet
AREDS II studies role of lutein and zeaxanthin
More research

Lutein and zeaxanthin are compounds called xanthophylls, which are carotenoids related to beta-carotene that gives vegetables like carrots their orange color. Lutein and zeaxanthin add yellow pigment to plants and can be found in the flesh of colorful fruits and vegetables and in the leaves.

But lutein and zeaxanthin do more than give plants their pretty colors. These two compounds are found in large amounts in the lens and retina of our eyes. Here they function as antioxidants to potentially help protect our eyes from damage caused by unstable atoms known as free radicals, which can interact with and break down healthy tissue.

Lutein and zeaxanthin may also help to protect our eyes by filtering high-energy blue light. By filtering blue light, the pigment protects underlying cell layers from potential light damage.

Adding Lutein and Zeaxanthin to Your Diet

These helpful xanthophylls might protect our eyes only if we obtain enough of them from our diets. Studies (see references below) show that a diet that has sufficient amounts of lutein and zeaxanthin from fruits and vegetables could help protect our eyes from damage in different ways, such as potentially helping prevent common eye diseases of macular degeneration and cataracts. Studies also show that failing to get enough of those fruits and vegetables in our diets may place us at greater risk for developing macular degeneration and significant cataracts.

Some studies indicate that lutein supplements may also work to protect our eyes. However, many experts believe the best way to get any type of antioxidant is from the diet itself. [Ed note: An exception to this recommendation may be found in results of the National Eye Institute's Age-Related Eye Disease Study (AREDS) of antioxidants including beta-carotene, vitamins C and E, and zinc and copper. High doses achieved with supplementation appear to provide protective effects against progression of macular degeneration. See sidebar for more details.]

While lutein and zeaxanthin have been linked to improved eye health in certain studies, the National Eye Institute in an official statement says there is as yet no hard medical evidence conclusively proving that these compounds can lower risks of eye diseases such as macular degeneration and cataracts.

However, the NEI through designated clinical sites began recruiting about 4,000 candidates in 2006 for a major study of these two compounds, in addition to certain omega-3 fatty acids, to examine potential protective effects against progression of macular degeneration. The study, known as AREDS II, could have major implications if results prove a conclusive association between eye health and consumption of lutein, zeaxanthin, and/or specific omega-3 fatty acids.

Results released from the NEI's original AREDS (Age-Related Eye Disease Study) in 2001 demonstrated a strong protective effect of antioxidants including beta-carotene, vitamins C and E, and zinc and copper. Based on findings of the original AREDS study, certain individuals with the potentially blinding eye disease of macular degeneration may now be advised to use specific supplements and to include these antioxidants in their diets potentially to keep the disease from progressing. No protective effect with this nutritional formula was found for preventing cataracts.

Note that beta-carotene supplementation is not recommended for smokers or ex-smokers, because of an association with increased risk of lung cancer. This risk is associated only with the beta-carotene supplement, and not with natural dietary sources. You should consult your physician before attempting any kind of high-dose supplementation.

In September 2007, a study reported in Archives of Ophthalmology clarified results of the original AREDS study that appear to show protective effects of lutein and zeaxanthin in helping to filter short-wavelength light that might otherwise damage the eye and cause macular degeneration.

The original AREDS was a landmark study as one of only a few major scientific investigations of nutrition as a means of improving eye health. — M.H.

Read more about AREDS II and how you may volunteer to participate in this important study.

If you choose a lutein and zeaxanthin supplement, make sure that it's a high quality product from a reputable dietary supplement company. Remember that taking dietary supplements can only augment a diet, not replace a poor diet. Eating healthy foods is always the best way to get the nutrients you need. Also remember that individuals sometimes react differently to certain supplements, which can have unintended effects such as adverse reactions with medications. Make sure you consult with your physician before attempting supplementation.

Dark, green leafy vegetables like kale, green leaf lettuce, and beet greens contain substantial amounts of both lutein and zeaxanthin. Eggs also contain lutein in the yellow yokes. Other good food sources include yellow and orange fruits and vegetables such as squash, peaches, sweet potatoes, and carrots. In order to obtain enough lutein and zeaxanthin, be sure to eat five to nine servings of colorful fruits and vegetables every day.

While many people have trouble including enough servings of healthful foods such as greens and fruits in their diets, it is actually possible to eat too many carotenoids. In a rare but usually harmless condition known as carotenemia, pigment from over-consumption of these plants can actually turn the skin yellowish.

Before eating fresh greens, even those that are packaged and marked as pre-washed, you should wash them again because of the potential for presence of harmful bacteria.