Impact of Lutein-Based Food Supplement on Macular Pigment, Glare and Contrast Vision

Purpose: To evaluate the impact of a specially formulated food supplement containing 20 mg free lutein and 2.8 mg zeaxanthin on macular pigment volume (MPV) and visual function. Methods: In this prospective non-comparative study healthy subjects were instructed to take one capsule of Eagle Eye Lutein 20 Vision Caps (Innomedis AG) per day with a meal for 6 months. MPV was measured with the MP-Eye system (AzulOptics) after 3 and 6 months of treatment. Mesopic vision (MV), glare sensitivity (GS) and contrast vision threshold (CVT) were measured with the Binoptometer 4P system (OCULUS Optikgeräte). Results: Twenty-three healthy subjects between 19 and 56 years were enrolled. A significant increase was observed in MPV (p Conclusions: The specially formulated food supplement containing lutein and zeaxanthin induced a significant increase in MPV, and consequently an improvement in the visual function after 3 and 6 months in healthy subjects.

Impact of Lutein-Based Food Supplement on Macular Pigment, Glare and Contrast Vision

Purpose: To evaluate the impact of a specially formulated food supplement containing 20 mg free lutein and 2.8 mg zeaxanthin on macular pigment volume (MPV) and visual function. Methods: In this prospective non-comparative study healthy subjects were instructed to take one capsule of Eagle Eye Lutein 20 Vision Caps (Innomedis AG) per day with a meal for 6 months. MPV was measured with the MP-Eye system (AzulOptics) after 3 and 6 months of treatment. Mesopic vision (MV), glare sensitivity (GS) and contrast vision threshold (CVT) were measured with the Binoptometer 4P system (OCULUS Optikgeräte). Results: Twenty-three healthy subjects between 19 and 56 years were enrolled. A significant increase was observed in MPV (p Conclusions: The specially formulated food supplement containing lutein and zeaxanthin induced a significant increase in MPV, and consequently an improvement in the visual function after 3 and 6 months in healthy subjects.

Simulation experiments on counter beam lighting in highway tunnel

Counter beam lighting was introduced as well as transverse symmetrical lighting and longitudinal symmetrical lighting.Simulation experiments were carried out by using DIAlux lighting software for the above three lighting methods.The results show that counter beam lighting is more reasonable to be adopted in the tunnel entrance zone because its threshold increment of disability glare is greater.Counter beam lighting can improve the background luminance of the obstacles and lighting efficiency compared with transverse symmetrical lighting and longitudinal symmetrical lighting.Therefore,tunnel lighting energy-saving can be achieved by reducing the road luminance demands and luminaries power.Longitudinal symmetrical lighting is conducive to the large luminaries spacing in the tunnel internal zone;so power consumption can be reduced by decreasing the number of luminaries used.Tunnel walls are unsuitable to pave with smooth or bright material.Installation height of the luminaries has less effect on counter beam lighting.

Macular carotenoid supplementation improves disability glare performance and dynamics of photostress recovery

Background:The so-called macular carotenoids(MC)lutein(L),zeaxanthin(Z),and meso-zeaxanthin(MZ)comprise the diet-derived macular pigment(MP).The purpose of this study was to determine effects of MC supplementation on the optical density of MP(MPOD),repeated-exposure photostress recovery(PSR),and disability glare(DG)thresholds.Methods:This was a double-blind,placebo-controlled trial.Fifty-nine young(mean age=21.7),healthy volunteers participated in this study.Subjects supplemented their daily diet with either 10 mg L+2 mg total Z(1 mg Z+1 mg MZ;n=24),20 mg L+4 mg total Z(2 mg Z+2 mg MZ;n=25),or placebo(n=10)for 12 months.The primary outcome was a composite measure of visual performance in glare,defined by change in DG and PSR.Secondary outcomes included MPOD and visual fatigue.The primary endpoint for outcomes was 12 months.MPOD was assessed with customized heterochromatic flicker photometry.PSR times for an 8 cycle/degree,15%contrast Gabor patch target were determined after each of five successive exposures to intense LED lights.DG threshold was defined as the intensity of a ring of lights through which subjects were able to maintain visibility of the aforementioned target.Measures of all parameters were conducted at baseline,6 months,and 12 months.Repeated-measures ANOVA,and Pearson product-moment correlations were used to determine statistically significant correlations,and changes within and between groups.Results:MPOD for subjects in both supplementation groups increased significantly versus placebo at both 6-and 12-month visits(p<0.001 for all).Additionally,PSR times and DG thresholds improved significantly from baseline compared to placebo at 6-and 12-month visits(p<0.001 for all).At baseline,MPOD was significantly related to both DG thresholds(r=0.444;p=0.0021)and PSR times(r=-0.56;p<0.001).As a function of MPOD,the repeated-exposure PSR curves became more asymptotic,as opposed to linear.The change in subjects’DG thresholds were significantly related to changes in PSR times across the study period(r=-0.534;p<0.001).Conclusions:Increases in MPOD lead to significant improvements in PSR times and DG thresholds.The asymptotic shape of the repeated-exposure PSR curves suggests that increases in MPOD produce more consistent steady-state visual performance in bright light conditions.The mechanism for this effect may involve both the optical filtering and biochemical(antioxidant)properties of MP.Trial registration:ISRCTN trial registration number:ISRCTN54990825.Data reported in this manuscript represent secondary outcome measures from the registered trial.