| " Eye supplements are a hot topic of conversation in Kerry Beebe's optometry office in Brainerd, Minn., right up there with the weather and Frances McDormand trivia. "We field questions about vitamins multiple times a day," says Beebe, chairman of the Clinical Care Group for the American Optometric Assn." " Patients mainly want to know if vitamins can help save them from macular degeneration, the leading cause of severe vision loss in America. About 13 million Americans ? mostly people older than 60 ? already have macular degeneration, a disease that breaks down the light-sensitive rods and cones in the center of the retina. Over time, it can blur a person's central field of vision, making tasks such as reading or driving impossible. Treatment options are limited, so it's no wonder many people are interested in vitamins, Beebe says." " Drugstores across the country offer an array of eye supplements, but the market is dominated by Bausch & Lomb products such as PreserVision and several varieties of Ocuvite, including Ocuvite Adult 50 +. All of the Bausch & Lomb supplements combine zinc with large doses of antioxidant vitamins." " PreserVision is especially packed with antioxidants: Two pills (the suggested dose) contain more than 1,000% of the recommended daily allowance of vitamin E and nearly 600% the RDA of beta carotene. The various forms of Ocuvite contain a pigment called lutein but omit beta carotene, a vitamin that can be dangerous to smokers. Ocuvite Adult 50 + combines lutein with omega-3 fatty acids." " Users are instructed to take two pills of PreserVision or one Ocuvite Adult 50 + each day. Prices vary, but a foray into the vitamin aisle found a one-month supply of PreserVision selling for $18. A one-month supply of Ocuvite Adult 50 + costs about $10." "John Stewart, senior product manager for vitamins at Bausch & Lomb, says there's "gold-standard clinical evidence" that PreserVision and Ocuvite products can slow down macular degeneration." " The evidence comes from the National Eye Institute's Age-Related Eye Disease Study, or AREDS, published in 2001. The six-year study of more than 3,600 people with mild-to-moderate macular degeneration found that the formula in PreserVision slowed vision loss by about 25%. Supplements also cut the risk by about 25% of moderate cases progressing to a more severe form." " Bausch & Lomb has trumpeted the results since. The "AREDS" name is displayed prominently on bottle labels
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