ABSTRACT
Increasing evidence indicates that the antioxidant nutrients vitamin C, vitamin E, and β-carotene may help protect against cataracts. Vitamin C is 60 times more concentrated in the lens of the eye than in blood plasma. Other antioxidants, specifi cally lutein and zeaxanthin, have also been associated with a reduced risk of cataracts. Lutein and zeaxanthin are oxygen-containing carotenoids known as xanthophylls. They are abundant in the retina of the eye and found in high concentrations in the macula. These nutrients protect against oxidative damage, and act as blue-light fi lters.
