Lutein

back to Topics List

Greetings Shooters,

There are numerous products which claim miraculous improvements to vision, some true and some not. Some of you might have come across the word, LUTEIN. This is a substance normally found in Spinach. Lutein, the main focus of this article, has also been a topic in the eye care profession in recent years. I didn't have to go back very far in my journals to find information on Lutein.

In the April 2004 issue of the Journal of the American Optometric Association, there was a medical research study involving Lutein on patients from the VA hospital in North Chicago, Illinois. Age-related macular degeneration (ARMD) is the leading cause of vision loss in aging Western societies. Smoking is a very significant risk factor in ARMD. The results of this study showed that the use of Lutein improved vision, glare recovery, contrast sensitivity and decreased visual distortion for those affected by ARMD.

For those of you who are taking these supplements, you now have scientific proof of its effectiveness. Many of us may be in our 50's, 60's or 70's, and this topic has or will have relevance for all of us. Trigger control may be the number one priority but good vision is probably a close second.

Good Vision and Good Shooting To All,

Norman H. Wong, O.D.

Camp Perry National Matches - 2004