The demand for and protracted use of digital devices across all age groups is a new phenomenon that highlights a growing need to emphasise nutritional approaches for healthy vision. Visible light is part of the electromagnetic spectrum defined as having wavelengths within the range of 390–700 nm. Along the entire electromagnetic spectrum, visible light is just a small portion, nestled between the higher energy wavelengths of ultraviolet (UV) and the lower energy of the infrared spectrum.
Unlike UV light exposure, most people do not associate visible light with affecting eye health. Long-term exposure to UV light is perhaps one of the most recognised risk factors for cataracts and age-related macular degeneration (AMD) that people actively protect against. But there are portions of the visible light spectrum that may have greater implications for eye health than UV light and most people — approximately 63% of adults — are unaware of it. The ubiquity of high-energy blue light is raising concerns about the long-term effects of exposure.
High-energy blue light: the bad and the good
The concern around high-energy blue light is centred on two points — exposure time and penetrative capacity. Blue light makes up some of the highest energy in the visible spectrum (between 400 and 500nm). Unlike UV-light exposure, which for most of us is limited almost exclusively to the sun, high-energy blue light is emitted from a multitude of sources, including sunlight, digital devices (computers/laptops, smartphones, television screens, etc.) and artificial indoor lighting, specifically compact fluorescent (CFL) and LED bulbs. Therefore, compared with UV light, daily exposure to high-energy blue light from both outdoor and indoor sources is significantly greater.
The absorption of almost all ambient UV light occurs primarily in the cornea and crystalline lens, and the results of long-term exposure can manifest within the outer layers of the eyes as cataracts. High-energy blue light, however, penetrates deeper into the eye — to the macula, an oval-shaped area near the centre of the retina that’s responsible for the highest level of visual acuity and is susceptible to the greatest amount of photo-induced damage and even the apoptosis of retinal cells and photoreceptors. Therefore, high-energy blue light may be more of a causative factor for conditions associated with retinal damage and there are several studies to suggest this. An animal model demonstrated that damage from high-energy blue light can occur within 3 hours of exposure with significant photoreceptor loss after 3 weeks.
The concern around high-energy blue light is centred on two points — exposure time and penetrative capacity
Paradoxically, blue light is a necessary 'evil' in that certain wavelengths play important roles in colour vision and in physiological responses, including regulating pupillary constriction and circadian rhythms. Therefore, it raises an important question: how do we protect our eyes from blue light while allowing blue light to participate in physiological responses? The macular carotenoids — lutein and the zeaxanthin isomers (RR- zeaxanthin and RS [meso]-zeaxanthin) — are key components for protecting the eyes against the necessity of blue light exposure.
Three macular carotenoids for a comprehensive formula
Lutein and the two zeaxanthin isomers — RR-zeaxanthin and RS (meso)-zeaxanthin — are the only three carotenoids found specifically in the macula, and their amounts — or densities — within the eye are predictive factors for eye health. Known as macular pigment optical density (MPOD), lower levels (that is, lower densities) are a risk factor for age-related macular degeneration. Increasing the dietary intake of lutein and zeaxanthin helps to support higher MPOD in healthy adults. Epidemiological studies have reported an inverse association between the dietary intake of macular carotenoids and the risk of developing ocular diseases such as AMD and cataracts.
Supplementation with lutein and zeaxanthin has demonstrated improvements in visual performance and acuity, reduced glare sensitivity, enhanced contrast sensitivity, improved vision in dim light and reduced chromatic blur. Taking all three macular carotenoids is important because they act together, absorbing a broader spectrum of high-energy blue light, which offers greater protection to retinal tissue, quenching free radicals generated from photo-oxidation and enhancing visual performance.
Deposition of the macular carotenoids is highly specific: lutein is preferentially deposited in the peripheral macula, RR-zeaxanthin in the mid-peripheral macula and RS (meso)-zeaxanthin in the very centre. Therefore, ensuring optimal levels of all three carotenoids is important for visual health and function. As the body cannot produce lutein and zeaxanthin, obtaining them from the diet is crucial. However, research shows that dietary intake is far below beneficial levels and supplementation may be warranted. Often lacking from supplement formulations is RS (meso)-zeaxanthin, and a published study has demonstrated that the increased deposition of RS (meso)-zeaxanthin could be realised with a preparation containing all three macular carotenoids … but not with a supplement lacking this carotenoid.
Paradoxically, blue light is a necessary 'evil' in that certain wavelengths play important roles in colour vision
In a recent double-blind, randomised 3-month clinical trial in healthy subject using dosages as low as 6mg, researchers using a formula containing all three macular carotenoids (Lutemax 2020 from OmniActive Health Technologies Ltd) demonstrated significantly faster serum and retinal response in as little as 8 weeks of supplementation. Supplementation with Lutemax 2020 has also been shown to 'smooth' the central dip found at the centre of the macula. This central dip represents thinner macular pigment density and decreased protection from high-energy blue light.
As shown in this study, even at a dosage as low as 6mg, Lutemax 2020 effectively increases macular pigment density in as little as 12 weeks and as fast as 8 weeks at dosages of 10 and 20mg. These results suggest healthier visual function through rapid retinal uptake and increased macular pigment (that is, 'smoothing' of the central dip) owing to the presence of all three macular carotenoids in Lutemax 2020 and reinforces the need to supplement with all three macular carotenoids.
Macular carotenoid matrix protects against high-energy blue light
Although lutein is a potent antioxidant that provides a significant amount of the total carotenoid content of the eye, healthy eyes require more than lutein alone. Lutein and the zeaxanthin isomers absorb different wavelengths of light and, together, the three absorb a broader spectrum of high-energy blue light, which offers greater protection of retinal tissue. Lutemax 2020 is an award-winning ingredient that provides lutein and the zeaxanthin isomers — all of which are critical to protect the macula against high-energy blue light — in a balanced 5:1 ratio — as found in natural dietary sources and the body. Lutemax 2020 contains significantly higher levels of zeaxanthin than other lutein ingredients.
OmniActive provides a wide range of delivery forms of Lutemax 2020, including powders, beadlets and oil suspensions, to address any formulation needs. Lutemax 2020 is produced under a fully vertically integrated supply chain, which means that OmniActive controls the entire process from seed development and cultivation of the marigold flowers to finished ingredients, guaranteeing a consistent and high quality ingredient. Using OmniActive’s oil suspension and OmniBead technologies, OmniActive’s Lutemax 2020 formulations are highly stable and offer formulators a wide range of specifications to cover all product development needs.
