Dietary lutein and zeaxanthin in the prevention of age related macular degeneration in the elderly

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a progressive eye disease that attacks the macula of the eye, the area responsible for the sharpest central vision, and affects 5% of people aged 65 and older. Current treatment strategies are of limited benefit and only to a minority of people with specific forms of the disease, thus prevention of macular degeneration at an early stage may be a key factor for both managing and reducing the public health burden of this condition. Due to their antioxidant properties and their location in the macula lutea (and therefore also referred to as macular pigments), lutein and zeaxanthin are believed to play a key role in the prevention of AMD by aiding in the filtration of damaging blue light and sunlight. This review will assess the evidence about the relationship of lutein and zeaxanthin to the prevention of AMD.