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One of the most common surgical procedures in the western world involves removing the lenses of aging eyes and inserting artificial ones in their place. The lens is a miracle of nature, more optically perfect than the finest telescopes on earth. Over time, though, poor diet, lack of exercise, toxins and other stresses can damage the lens, making it dense, thick and too cloudy to see through. It is possible to minimize and possibly even reverse this with aggressive antioxidant therapy.
Lutein and zeaxanthin are powerful carotenoids in the same family as beta-carotene. Several trials have suggested that taking extra beta-carotene increases the risk of cancer and heart disease, probably because it decreases the levels of these important substances in the body. Because they are the only carotenoids in the eye, researchers have wondered whether they improve visual health, and they seem to do just that. Most of the early research involved animals, but in one small clinical trial, supplemental lutein improved the vision of people with cataracts. More research is sure to come.