USA authorized Zeaxan retailer2 capsules a day · 60 per bottleFull label typed outKeep your eye exams
Order now

Eye vitamins, explained

What Is AREDS2, and What Does It Mean for Your Eye Vitamins?

Quick answer

AREDS2 is the eye vitamin formula from a large National Eye Institute study: lutein 10 mg, zeaxanthin 2 mg, vitamin C, vitamin E, zinc and copper. It helped people who already had intermediate or late AMD. It does not prevent AMD in people without it. Zeaxan is not an AREDS2 formula, because its label prints no single amounts.

Written by the Zeaxan editorial teamUpdated · 8 min read

The back of a Zeaxan bottle showing the Supplement Facts panel with one 600 mg proprietary blend of 11 ingredients and no single amounts
The Zeaxan Supplement Facts panel. An AREDS2 product prints six amounts; this label prints one blend total.

The basics

What is AREDS2?

AREDS2 is the second Age-Related Eye Disease Study run by the National Eye Institute, and the name of the vitamin formula it settled on. When an eye doctor says "AREDS2", they mean six nutrients at six set doses (NEI, AREDS2).

The first study, AREDS, found its formula lowered the risk of advanced AMD by about 25% over five years. That result came from people who already had intermediate or late AMD (NEI, AREDS2). AMD, or age-related macular degeneration, damages the sharp central vision you use to read and drive (MedlinePlus, 2024).

So AREDS2 is not a brand. It is a recipe with a narrow, tested purpose.

The recipe

What is in the AREDS2 formula?

The AREDS2 formula has six parts: lutein 10 mg, zeaxanthin 2 mg, vitamin C 500 mg, vitamin E 400 IU, zinc 80 mg and copper 2 mg (NEI, AREDS2). A product that prints those amounts on its label matches the studied recipe.

The AREDS2 daily amounts next to what the Zeaxan label says (label checked October 12, 2026)
NutrientAREDS2 daily amountZeaxan label (2 capsules)
Lutein10 mgNot published (5th of 11 in a 600 mg blend)
Zeaxanthin2 mgNot published (10th of 11)
Vitamin C500 mgNone listed
Vitamin E400 IUNone listed
Zinc80 mgNone listed
Copper2 mgNone listed

Four of the six AREDS2 nutrients are missing from Zeaxan, and the other two have no printed amount. See the full Zeaxan label.

Who it helps

Who should take the AREDS2 formula?

AREDS2 is for adults an eye doctor has diagnosed with intermediate AMD, or late AMD in one eye. That is the group in which the formula lowered the risk of advanced AMD (NEI, AREDS2) (AAO, 2021).

A 2023 Cochrane review of 26 studies agreed. Antioxidant vitamins plus zinc probably slow progression to late AMD in people who already have it. Lutein and zeaxanthin on their own showed little effect (Cochrane, 2023).

The step before any eye vitamin

Only a dilated eye exam can tell you whether you have AMD, and at what stage. Ask your eye doctor which stage you have before you buy anything labeled for the macula.

A common mix-up

Does AREDS2 stop macular degeneration from starting?

No. NEI states that nutritional supplements cannot prevent AMD, and that the AREDS formulas showed no benefit for people with early AMD or no AMD (NEI, 2020).

A separate Cochrane review found no evidence that vitamin E, beta-carotene or vitamin C keep AMD away in the general population (Cochrane, 2017). The American Academy of Ophthalmology says the same (AAO, 2021). What does lower your risk is not smoking: smokers are about twice as likely to get AMD (AAO, 2021).

  • Diagnosed intermediate or late AMD: ask about AREDS2.
  • Early AMD: AREDS showed no benefit; keep your exams.
  • No AMD: no eye vitamin has been shown to keep it away.

Try Zeaxan for 90 days2 capsules a day · 3 bottles per pack · today's price on the listing

See today's price

Why the recipe changed

Why did AREDS2 drop beta-carotene?

Beta-carotene was linked to lung cancer in smokers. In AREDS2, lung cancers showed up in 2% of people taking beta-carotene versus 0.9% without it, so the AREDS2 formula uses lutein and zeaxanthin instead (NEI, beta-carotene).

The older AREDS formula with beta-carotene is not advised for current or former smokers (NEI, beta-carotene).

Dose check

Is Zeaxan an AREDS2 formula?

No. The bars set the AREDS2 amounts beside the only thing the Zeaxan label tells you.

  • Lutein

    ≤60%
    LabelNot published; at most about 6 mg (best case)
    AREDS210 mg a day in AREDS2

    (NEI, AREDS2)

  • Zeaxanthin

    ?
    LabelNot published; somewhere from 0 to about 3 mg
    AREDS22 mg a day in AREDS2

    (NEI, AREDS2)

  • Vitamin B6

    ?
    LabelNot published
    Daily need1.3-1.7 mg a day adult need

    (NIH ODS, B6)

  • Vitamin B12

    ?
    LabelNot published
    Daily need2.4 mcg a day adult need

    (NIH ODS, B12)

  • Choline

    ?
    LabelNot published (alpha-GPC is listed 3rd)
    Daily need425-550 mg a day adult need

    (NIH ODS, choline)

The label gives one number: a 600 mg blend for all 11 ingredients. Striped bars mean the amount is not published. Our best-case arithmetic: ingredients in a blend are listed by weight, so the 5th ingredient can weigh at most 600 mg / 5 = 120 mg, and the 10th at most 600 mg / 10 = 60 mg. If "5%" means the extract is 5% lutein or zeaxanthin (the usual meaning), that is at most about 6 mg of lutein and 3 mg of zeaxanthin per serving, and likely much less. The real amounts are not published. Blend order rule (21 CFR 101.36).

Zeaxan lists lutein and zeaxanthin inside a 600 mg blend led by Himalayan pink salt. U.S. rules only require a blend's total weight, not each amount (21 CFR 101.36). Our best-case arithmetic puts lutein at no more than about 6 mg and zeaxanthin at no more than about 3 mg, and the real numbers are likely lower.

The bottle's own claims, such as "Supports Eye Health", are the seller's words. No trial has tested this blend. Read more in lutein and zeaxanthin in Zeaxan.

Brand panel with a Zeaxan bottle and three claims: Vision Performance Support, Support Clear and Healthy Sight, Promotes Overall Wellness, plus an FDA disclaimer box
The brand's benefit panel. None of these claims refers to AREDS2, and the FDA box under them says they were not evaluated.

At the store

How can you tell if a product really follows AREDS2?

Read the Supplement Facts, not the front of the box. A true AREDS2 product prints all six nutrients with amounts that match the study (NEI, AREDS2).

  1. Find six numbers

    Lutein, zeaxanthin, vitamin C, vitamin E, zinc and copper, each with its own amount.

  2. Check for beta-carotene

    If you smoke or used to, avoid the older formula that contains it (NEI, beta-carotene).

  3. Skip vague blends

    A "proprietary blend" with one total cannot show you match the study. Our post on proprietary blends explains why.

  4. Watch for big promises

    In 2005 the FTC acted against an eye supplement seller over claims to restore vision lost to AMD (FTC, 2005).

For a full checklist, see how to choose an eye supplement.

FAQ

AREDS2 questions people search for

What does AREDS2 stand for?

AREDS2 stands for the second Age-Related Eye Disease Study, run by the National Eye Institute. The name now also means the vitamin formula from that study: lutein 10 mg, zeaxanthin 2 mg, vitamin C 500 mg, vitamin E 400 IU, zinc 80 mg and copper 2 mg (NEI, AREDS2).

Should I take AREDS2 if I do not have macular degeneration?

No study supports it. NEI says the AREDS formulas showed no benefit for people without AMD or with early AMD, and that supplements cannot prevent AMD (NEI, 2020). Not smoking and regular eye exams are the steps with real evidence behind them (AAO, 2021) (AAO, 2021).

Does Zeaxan contain the AREDS2 doses?

Nobody can say, because the label prints no single amounts. Zeaxan has no vitamin C, vitamin E, zinc or copper, and its lutein and zeaxanthin sit inside a 600 mg blend (21 CFR 101.36). Our best-case math puts lutein at no more than about 6 mg, under the AREDS2 10 mg.

How much did AREDS lower the risk of advanced AMD?

About 25% over five years, in people who already had intermediate or late AMD (NEI, AREDS2). That figure comes from the original AREDS formula in that group only. It does not apply to people with early AMD or healthy eyes, where no benefit was found (NEI, 2020).

Is AREDS2 safe for smokers?

The AREDS2 formula has no beta-carotene, which is why it is the version for smokers and former smokers. In AREDS2, lung cancers occurred in 2% of people taking beta-carotene versus 0.9% without it (NEI, beta-carotene). Ask your eye doctor which version fits you.

Do lutein and zeaxanthin work without the other AREDS2 nutrients?

The evidence is weak. A 2023 Cochrane review found lutein and zeaxanthin alone versus placebo showed little effect, with low-certainty evidence, while antioxidant vitamins plus zinc probably slow late AMD in people who already have AMD (Cochrane, 2023).

Can an eye vitamin replace my AMD checkups?

No. A vitamin cannot show you whether AMD is changing, and AMD is painless, so you may not notice early loss (MedlinePlus, 2024). Keep the exam schedule your eye doctor sets, and get same-day care for sudden flashes, many new floaters or a curtain over your vision (AAO, retina).

Who wrote this

Written and reviewed by

Written byThe Zeaxan editorial teamZeaxans, USA authorized Zeaxan retailer

Plain-language pages built from the bottle label and linked medical sources.

Medical review byDr. Allen Ho, MD, PhysicianRole: Medical reviewerReview date: October 13, 2026

Last updated . Read our editorial standards and how we check reviews. This website is run by an authorized U.S. retailer, not by the manufacturer. We are paid a commission when you buy through our order links.

Keep reading

More about Zeaxan

Choosing a supplement

Read a label, know the AREDS2 doses, spot red flags and know what to ask your eye doctor before you buy.

Read more

Supplement Facts

The whole Zeaxan label typed out, with what each line means and what the label does not tell you.

Read more

Eye health guide

Exams by age, AMD, cataracts, glaucoma, diabetes, warning signs and screen strain, in plain language.

Read more

USA authorized Zeaxan retailer

Ready to try Zeaxan?

The listing sells one 3-pack: 180 capsules, 90 days at 2 a day. Check today's price, delivery and return terms on the listing before you pay, and keep your eye exams.

One 3-pack180 capsules90 days · price on the listingTwo 3-packs360 capsules180 days · quantity 2
Order Zeaxan nowBuying details
  • eBay Money Back Guarantee
  • 30-day returns, as listed
  • Free 2-4 day delivery, as listed
A bottle of Zeaxan capsules: black cap, white label with a blue eye

Zeaxan capsules3-bottle pack · 2 a day · price and terms on the listing

Order now