Eye Vitamin Offers New Hope for Protecting Vision from Age Related Macular Degeneration

April 16, 2004

New U.S. Government Study Shows OCUPOWER Has Promising Results in Reversing Vision Loss from Age Related Macular Degeneration

National surveys show that Americans dread blindness more than any other disability. Age related macular degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of blindness in the United States, affecting ten million nationwide. It is a degenerative eye disease and the leading cause of blindness in the U.S. for those ages 55 and older - affecting more people than cataracts and glaucoma combined. Currently, there is no FDA-approved age related macular degeneration treatment. However, a new study appearing as the cover story in the April 4th issue of Optometry: Journal of the American Optometric Association finds that taking the right combination of lutein, vitamins and antioxidants may significantly improve your sight.

AMD is caused by the deterioration of the central portion of the retina, known as the macula. This inside back layer of the eye records the images we see that are sent via the optic nerve from the eye to the brain. The macula is responsible for focusing central vision in the eye. It controls our ability to read, drive a car, recognize faces or colors and see object in fine detail.

PROCEDURE

In March 2003, the U.S Government's Veteran's Administration Hospital in Chicago completed a nearly two-year-long study that focused on a patented multi-vitamin called OcuPower. This vision supplement was the macular degeneration aid specifically selected for inclusion in this clinical trial. The LAST study was designed to evaluate the effects of lutein - either combined with additional carotenoids and antioxidants, including zinc (as in OcuPower), or alone - on patients who suffered not from the "wet" form of age related macular degeneration, but rather from the "dry" (atrophic) form.

The study monitored three groups: the Lutein-Only Group was administered lutein without additional vitamins; the OcuPower Group was administered OcuPower, a multi-vitamin for eye and general health that contains a high level of lutein, along with other antioxidants and minerals; the Placebo Group received a maltodextrin capsule.

RESULTS

The Lutein-only and OcuPower groups both showed improvement for near visual acuity (the ability to detect fine details or small distances). Both groups were found to have significantly improved in contrast sensitivity function (CSF), which identifies retinal problems at an earlier stage than is possible with conventional testing.

Further, the OcuPower Group was shown to have a better and broader effect than the Lutein Group during various measures of visual acuity, contrast sensitivity and quality of vision.

The OcuPower Group proved to have more benefits than the Lutein or Placebo groups in a few key areas. In the area of glare recovery - which is how fast normal vision returns after you see a glare - it was shown that the OcuPower group had a 34.7 second average recovery, the fastest among the three groups.

In macular pigment optical density (MPOD), the OcuPower group increased by 43%, as compared to the 36% level of improvement for the Lutein-only Group. MPOD is the amount of lutein and zeaxanthin in the macula, and is one of the most accurate signals for age related macular degeneration risk.

OcuPower patients had a trend towards reduced risk of mortality and major cardiovascular problems. The OcuPower group had zero mortality and major cardiovascular problems, versus seven in the Lutein and Placebo Groups combined. OcuPower provides numerous nutrients proven to reduce the risk of heart disease.

CONCLUSION

The right combination of nutrients -- including a very high dose of a special form of the antioxidant lutein that is found in OcuPower -- is safe and effective in reducing vision loss, and may even be effective at reversing vision loss. The patented OcuPower formula makes it an ideal eye health vitamin, and it has been formulated to contain 40 times the amount of lutein found in most other multi-vitamins.

Lutein is an antioxidant in the carotenoid family - a group of naturally occurring fat-soluble pigments found in plants. Lutein is the primary carotenoid present in the central area of the retina called the macula. Additional nutrients provided in OcuPower are synergistic with lutein and provide an overall superior benefit, making it an effective age related macular degeneration vision aid. The benefits and research behind this potent eye supplement vitamin are presented in further detail. Click here to learn more.