Introducing the New Macular Support + Meso-Z Supplement for Patients at Risk of Blue Light Exposure
Nov 3, 2020
The Emerging Risk Brought on by Blue Light
For better or worse, backlit and LED screens have become a part of people’s daily lives much more than they used to be. Every single generation’s use of computers, smartphones, and tablets has increased within the past 15 years. That’s long enough that we’ve begun to notice the effects over time of blue light overexposure on patients’ eye health and vision.
A major source of damage from blue light takes place in the retina, the thin tissue that lines the back of the eye. The point in the center of the retina — the macula — accumulates a yellow substance called ‘macular pigment,’ which acts as an optical filter for blue light.
Over time, or with long-term exposure to blue light, the macular pigment depletes. The lower the level of macular pigment in the eye — measured as the macular pigment optical density (MPOD) — the higher the risk becomes for diseases such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD). MPOD loss is also positively correlated with a decrease in visual performance, with studies suggesting that people with a lower MPOD may suffer from a loss of contrast sensitivity.
In the past, blue light exposure wasn’t as serious of an issue as it is today. With an increase in screen time comes a more rapid rate of MPOD loss. This is a newly discovered source of risk, one that demands a solution based on emerging research.
Enter Meso-Zeaxanthin, the Missing Piece of the Puzzle
The eye’s macular pigment is made up of three primary carotenoids: lutein, meso-zeaxanthin, and zeaxanthin. Each of these three carotenoids has a unique structure and absorption spectra, which means that they each play a critical role in filtering blue light before it hits the retina.
Previous research — most notably, the Macular Support study — had focused on lutein and zeaxanthin as key ingredients. In recent years, however, our understanding of meso-zeaxanthin has advanced to a new level. We now know that supplement formulations containing all three macular carotenoids can offer an enhanced level of protection against retinal disease, especially for patients who are more at-risk due to excessive blue light exposure.
In fact, a controlled study published in Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science showed that levels of macular pigment optical density (MPOD) were kept significantly higher in subjects who took a supplement containing a 10:10:2 ratio of Lutein : Meso-zeaxanthin : Zeaxanthin than those in groups who took supplements that did not contain meso-zeaxanthin. [1]
Introducing Macular Support + Meso-Z
The result of these discoveries about meso-zeaxanthin and its benefits to the fortification of macular pigment is Macular Support + Meso-Z, Lunovus’ latest addition to the Visual Advantage® line of macular health vitamins.
The Macular Support + Meso-Z formula is fortified with that same 10:10:2 concentration of L:MZ:Z, so that patients at high risk of blue light overexposure can reduce their risk of developing AMD and suffering from its lasting effects.
Here’s what Macular Support + Meso-Z can do:
- Reduce the risk of progression of moderate to advanced AMD
- Restore healthy levels of macular pigment
- Provide optimal blue light filtration
- Protect the retina from harmful oxidation
- Enhance visual performance
For so many of us, screens aren’t going anywhere, which means that blue light will continue to have an impact on patients’ vision and their lives. For an advanced supplement to protect against these emerging risks, Lunovus has created the Macular Support + Meso-Z formulation, reaffirming once again our steadfast commitment to providing solutions that meet the needs of every patient you treat.
