There are many benefits to taking zeaxanthin - here are 3 key reasons why!

The health benefits of zeaxanthin are almost countless. Where it really matters most is how it works to improve and protect eye health.

1. Zeaxanthin is your "internal sunglasses"

Along with lutein, zeaxanthin acts as your “internal sunglasses,” meaning it protects your vision from harmful levels of blue light. Blue light is everywhere; it can come from the sun, digital devices around the house, and even certain kinds of indoor lighting. This means we need the protection zeaxanthin provides.

Everyone is born with certain levels of zeaxanthin. In fact, the American Optometric Association states that of all the 600 carotenoids found in nature, only zeaxanthin and lutein are deposited in high quantities in the center of the retina (macula) within the eye. The bad news is that it does not replenish itself as we get older. This means our eyes are more susceptible to harmful blue light, which can lead to age-related eye health issues.

2. Zeaxanthin improves visual performance

Visual performance simply means that as you age, you can keep doing the things you love that require healthy vision. Put simply, zeaxanthin can help:

• Improve contrast sensitivity - This means you're able to discern objects from their background (e.g. seeing a white golf ball or baseball clearly against a light blue sky).
• Improve light sensitivity - When you're walking out the door to work or drop off kids at school, the light can seem so bright that you become uncomfortable. Zeaxanthin helps filter that light, protecting your source of vision in your eye. This means you won't notice the discomfort from bright light as much.
• Improve glare recovery - Have you driven at night and noticed how bad the glare is coming from oncoming traffic? That glare can cause "temporary blindness," meaning you truly can't see for a few seconds. That's a scary thought on the road. Zeaxanthin protects your eyes from that glare so your eyes can stay focused on the road.

3. Zeaxanthin can help protect your eyes from developing age-related eye health issues

Age-related eye health issues have become an epidemic in the U.S. In fact, it's the leading cause of vision loss in adults over the age of 55, afflicting millions of Americans each year. Age-related eye health issues can develop for a number of reasons including genetics, poor diet, or a history of smoking.

Like we mentioned before, the zeaxanthin we're born with that helps protect our vision from age-related eye health issues fades as we age. This means we have to get the optimal levels of zeaxanthin via our diets and through taking eye vitamins that contain this nutrient. By doing this, your zeaxanthin levels will increase, meaning your vision is protected from the development of these age-related eye health issues and can mitigate the effects of existing eye health problems.

Learn more about how zeaxanthin is tied into healthy vision in our new eBook!