8 December 2016 - Nutraingredients - Lutein supplements may improve recovery from disability glare: Study

Data from the Lutein, Vision and Mental Acuity II (LAMA II) study indicated that the lutein and zeaxanthin supplement was associated with increases in macular pigment density (MPOD) – an indicator of xanthophyll levels in the eye – and significant improvements in photostress recovery (PSR), and disability glare (DG) thresholds after six months and 12 months.

Photostress recovery is the amount of time the macula requires to return to its normal functioning level after exposure to a bright light source. Disability glare is a degradation of contrast which has been caused by a reduction in visual performance.

“The results of our study, particularly those from the PSR portion, are illustrative of effects elicited by both filtering of light by MPOD, and by retinal physiology enhancement by the [macular carotenoids]. For example, in absolute terms, those with higher MPOD generally had faster PSR times – this was true for each of the 5 exposures and recoveries – but speed of visual recovery was markedly faster and more consistent with successive exposures for those with higher MPOD,” wrote the researchers in Eye and Vision .