The impact of supplemental antioxidants on visual function in nonadvanced age-related macular degeneration: A head-to-head randomized clinical trial

Kwadwo Owusu Akuffo, Stephen Beatty, Tunde Peto, Jim Stack, Jim Stringham, David Kelly, Irene Leung, Laura Corcoran, John M. Nolan

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

40 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

PURPOSE. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of supplemental macular carotenoids (including versus not including meso-zeaxanthin) in combination with coantioxidants on visual function in patients with nonadvanced age-related macular degeneration. METHODS. In this study, 121 participants were randomly assigned to group 1 (Age-Related Eye Disease Study 2 formulation with a low dose [25 mg] of zinc and an addition of 10 mg mesozeaxanthin; n = 60) or group 2 (Age-Related Eye Disease Study 2 formulation with a low dose [25 mg] of zinc; n = 61). Visual function was assessed using best-corrected visual acuity, contrast sensitivity (CS), glare disability, retinal straylight, photostress recovery time, reading performance, and the National Eye Institute Visual Function Questionnaire-25. Macular pigment was measured using customized heterochromatic flicker photometry. RESULTS. There was a statistically significant improvement in the primary outcome measure (letter CS at 6 cycles per degree [6 cpd]) over time (P = 0.013), and this observed improvement was statistically comparable between interventions (P = 0.881). Statistically significant improvements in several secondary outcome visual function measures (letter CS at 1.2 and 2.4 cpd; mesopic and photopic CS at all spatial frequencies; mesopic glare disability at 1.5, 3, and 6 cpd; photopic glare disability at 1.5, 3, 6, and 12 cpd; photostress recovery time; retinal straylight; mean and maximum reading speed) were also observed over time (P < 0.05, for all), and were statistically comparable between interventions (P > 0.05, for all). Statistically significant increases in macular pigment at all eccentricities were observed over time (P < 0.0005, for all), and the degree of augmentation was statistically comparable between interventions (P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS. Antioxidant supplementation in patients with nonadvanced age-related macular degeneration results in significant increases in macular pigment and improvements in CS and other measures of visual function. (Clinical trial, http://www.isrctn.com/ISRCTN13894787).

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)5347-5360
Number of pages14
JournalInvestigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science
Volume58
Issue number12
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Oct 2017

Keywords

  • Age-related macular degeneration
  • Contrast sensitivity
  • Glare disability
  • Lutein
  • Macular pigment
  • Macular pigment
  • Meso-zeaxanthin
  • NEI VFQ-25
  • Photostress recovery time
  • Randomized clinical trial
  • Reading performance
  • Retinal straylight
  • Visual acuity
  • Visual function
  • Zeaxanthin

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