Supplement guide
How to Choose an Eye Supplement
Choose an eye supplement only after an eye exam, and pick one that prints the amount of every ingredient. If your eye doctor found intermediate or late AMD, the studied option is the AREDS2 formula: lutein 10 mg, zeaxanthin 2 mg, vitamins C and E, zinc and copper. Skip any product that claims it can restore vision.
Written by the Zeaxan editorial teamUpdated
Step one
What should you check first on an eye supplement label?
Check whether each ingredient has its own amount. A label that prints milligrams for every ingredient lets you compare it with research; a blend does not.
U.S. rules let a proprietary blend list only its total weight, with the ingredients in order from heaviest to lightest (21 CFR 101.36). That is legal, but it means you cannot tell how much of any one ingredient you get.
| On the label | Good sign | Watch for |
|---|---|---|
| Amounts | Milligrams for every ingredient | One blend total, no single amounts |
| Lutein and zeaxanthin | Printed doses you can match to research | A percentage with no dose |
| Other vitamins | Doses you can add to your other pills | B6 or zinc you cannot total |
| Testing | A named lab and batch report | A badge with no lab named |
| Claims | "Supports" wording with the FDA disclaimer | Promises to fix or reverse eye disease |
The studied formula
What is in the AREDS2 eye formula?
Six nutrients at set doses: lutein, zeaxanthin, vitamin C, vitamin E, zinc and copper. These are the amounts the National Eye Institute lists.
| Nutrient | AREDS2 daily dose | Zeaxan label |
|---|---|---|
| Lutein | 10 mg | Not published |
| Zeaxanthin | 2 mg | Not published |
| Vitamin C | 500 mg | Not in the formula |
| Vitamin E | 400 IU | Not in the formula |
| Zinc | 80 mg | Not in the formula |
| Copper | 2 mg | Not in the formula |
Source: NEI (NEI, AREDS2). The older AREDS formula used beta-carotene, which AREDS2 dropped after more lung cancers showed up in smokers and former smokers who took it (NEI, beta-carotene). If you smoke or used to, avoid formulas with beta-carotene.
Who it helps
Who is the AREDS2 formula for?
It is for people whose eye doctor has found intermediate AMD, or late AMD in one eye. In that group, the formula lowered the risk of advanced AMD by about 25% over five years (NEI, AREDS2).
It is not for prevention. The NEI says the formulas showed no benefit for people with early AMD or no AMD (NEI, 2020). A Cochrane review agrees that AREDS-type supplements probably slow progression in people who already have AMD, while lutein and zeaxanthin alone showed little effect (Cochrane, 2023).
So the first question is not which brand to buy. It is whether an eye exam shows you need this formula at all. Read our eye health guide for exam timing.
Reading percentages
What does a percentage like "5% lutein" mean on a label?
It usually describes how strong the extract is, not how much of the capsule it fills. "Lutein (5%)" most often means the extract is 5% lutein by weight, so 100 mg of that extract holds about 5 mg of lutein.
Without the extract's weight, the percentage cannot tell you the dose. On a blend label you have to estimate, and the estimate can only give an upper limit. Our article on proprietary blends walks through the arithmetic.
No dose in milligrams means no way to compare the product with any study. Pick a product that prints the amounts.
A worked example
How does Zeaxan compare with the AREDS2 doses?
It cannot be compared directly, because the amounts are not published. The bars show the research doses next to our best-case ceilings for Zeaxan.
Even in the best case, Zeaxan's lutein stays below the AREDS2 dose, and it has none of the vitamin C, vitamin E, zinc or copper. That makes it a different product, not a version of AREDS2. See the full Zeaxan label.
Try Zeaxan for 90 days2 capsules a day · 3 bottles per pack · today's price on the listing
See today's priceSpot the warning signs
What are the red flags in eye supplement ads?
The biggest one is a promise to restore lost vision or reverse an eye disease. In 2005 the FTC found such claims unsupported in an eye supplement case, and the seller paid 450,000 dollars to settle (FTC, 2005).
- One product that claims to fix many problems at once (FDA, health fraud)
- Personal success stories in place of trial results (FDA, health fraud)
- Quick results, or "all natural" offered as proof of safety (FDA, health fraud) (NCCIH, 2019)
- Talk of clinical proof with no human trial you can look up; the FTC expects randomized human trials for health claims (FTC, 2022)
- Any claim of FDA approval, since the FDA does not approve supplements (FDA, supplements)
- A burst of glowing reviews from new accounts (FTC, reviews)
Fake reviews are now banned under an FTC rule announced on August 14, 2024 (FTC, 2024), but you still cannot always spot them by eye.
Before you buy
What should you ask your eye doctor before buying an eye supplement?
Ask whether your exam shows any sign of AMD, and if so, which stage. The answer decides whether the AREDS2 formula is worth taking.
Do I have AMD, and what stage?
Only intermediate or late AMD has shown a benefit from the AREDS formulas.
Is this product the AREDS2 formula?
Compare the printed doses with the table above.
Is it safe with my medicines?
Some herbs matter here: ginkgo, for one, can add to bleeding risk for people on warfarin (NCCIH, ginkgo). Ask your pharmacist too.
When should I come back?
A supplement never replaces your next exam.
Applying the checklist
Where does Zeaxan stand on this checklist?
It passes some checks and misses others. In its favor: a simple 2-capsule routine, lutein and zeaxanthin in the blend, a full ingredient list and a named distributor. Against it: no single amounts, salt listed first, no trial, and testing badges with no lab named.
The label and the brand's own panel also disagree on timing. The label says between meals; the panel and the listing say after a meal (eBay listing). Follow the label. If you want the studied formula, choose one that prints the AREDS2 doses. Compare Zeaxan's eleven ingredients if you are still deciding.
FAQ
Questions about choosing an eye supplement
What should I look for in an eye vitamin?
A printed dose for every ingredient, the FDA disclaimer and no promises to fix eye disease. If your eye doctor found intermediate AMD, look for the AREDS2 doses: lutein 10 mg, zeaxanthin 2 mg, vitamin C 500 mg, vitamin E 400 IU, zinc 80 mg and copper 2 mg (NEI, AREDS2).
How much lutein should an eye supplement have?
There is no official daily target for lutein (Wilson et al., 2021). The AREDS2 formula, the best-studied option for people with intermediate AMD, uses 10 mg of lutein with 2 mg of zeaxanthin (NEI, AREDS2). Most adults get about 1-2 mg a day from food.
Who should take AREDS2 vitamins?
People whose eye doctor has found intermediate AMD, or late AMD in one eye (NEI, AREDS2). The formulas showed no benefit for people with early AMD or no AMD (NEI, 2020), so they are not a general eye vitamin for everyone over 40.
Why was beta-carotene removed from AREDS2?
Because more lung cancers occurred in people taking it, mainly current and former smokers: 2% with beta-carotene versus 0.9% without (NEI, beta-carotene). The AREDS2 formula uses lutein and zeaxanthin in its place, and the older formula is not advised for smokers.
What is a proprietary blend on a supplement label?
A group of ingredients listed under one total weight, from heaviest to lightest, without each ingredient's amount (21 CFR 101.36). It is legal, but it stops you from comparing doses with research. Zeaxan uses a 600 mg proprietary blend for all 11 of its ingredients.
Can an eye vitamin bring back lost vision?
No. When a seller claimed its eye supplement could do that for vision lost to AMD, the FTC called the claims unsupported and the company paid to settle (FTC, 2005). Treat that promise as a red flag, and see an eye doctor about any vision change.
Can Zeaxan replace my AREDS2 vitamins?
No. Zeaxan has no vitamin C, vitamin E, zinc or copper, and it prints no lutein or zeaxanthin amounts, so it cannot stand in for the AREDS2 formula. If your eye doctor prescribed AREDS2, keep taking it and ask before adding anything.
Who wrote this
Written and reviewed by
Plain-language pages built from the bottle label and linked medical sources.
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.
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The whole Zeaxan label typed out, with what each line means and what the label does not tell you.
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Exams by age, AMD, cataracts, glaucoma, diabetes, warning signs and screen strain, in plain language.
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Ingredients
All 11 Zeaxan ingredients in label order, what each is for, and which ones call for a doctor's check.
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