The topic of today's blog is zeaxanthin, a very important antioxidative pigment found in the retina.  Many of you reading this have probably never heard of this nutrient, but you could be impacted by zeaxanthin at some point in your future. 

Zeaxanthin is found in high concentrations in the macula, and just like skin pigmentation protects our skin from the harmful rays of the sun, it protects our retinas from sun damage.  Because of these benefits, it has been found to be very important in the management of macular degeneration.  One recent study showed that increased levels of dietary zeaxanthin were directly correlated to decreased risk of early macular degeneration.  Another study of zeaxanthin in elderly patients with early macular degeneration showed improvement in night vision and recognition of fine detail. 

Zeaxanthin is a safe and well tolerated supplement that anyone can take with no side effects.  We recommend taking MacuHealth at Primary Eyecare Associates. This is a great supplement because it actually contains all three macular pigments (lutein, zeaxanthin, and mesozeaxanthin) and only has to be taken once a day.  We prescribe MacuHealth for everyone with macular degeneration and people at risk with a family history of macular degeneration.

 If you or family members are concerned about your eye health please call 271-3900 for an appointment.  You may need to be on Macuhealth.