Overview
The project was completed in 2013.
The Age-Related Eye Disease Study 2 (AREDS2) overseen by the National Eye Institute (NEI) examined the effects of vitamin and mineral supplementation on the progression of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), which is one of the leading causes of blindness in the United States. The study, completed in 2013, was a randomized controlled clinical trial of 4,000 people who were at intermediate risk of AMD or who had advanced AMD in one eye.
The study showed that supplementing with lutein and zeaxathin produced somewhat better eye protection and was especially effective for people whose diets were low in the nutrients. Funds raised by the FNIH support the development of a genetic repository for the study, allowing deeper analyses of the results.
Partners
- Alcon (a Novartis Division)
- Bausch & Lomb
- Genentech
- National Eye Institute (NEI)
Contacts
Goals
- Support the development of a genetic repository for the study that examined the effects of vitamin and mineral supplementation on the progression of age-related macular degeneration.
Results & Accomplishments
The study’s results can be found here.
Media
- NIH Press Release (May 5, 2013): NIH study provides clarity on supplements for protection against blinding eye disease