Skip to main content
Home

Search


NEI on Social Media | Search A-Z | en español | Text size S M L
Share
  • About NEI
    • NEI Research Accomplishments
    • Budget and Congress
    • About the NEI Director
    • History of the NEI
    • NEI 50th Anniversary
    • NEI Women Scientists Advisory Committee (WSAC)
    • Board of Scientific Counselors
    • National Advisory Eye Council (NAEC)
    • Donating to the NEI

     Contact Us

     Visiting the NIH Campus

    Mission Statement

    As part of the federal government’s National Institutes of Health (NIH), the National Eye Institute’s mission is to “conduct and support research, training, health information dissemination, and other programs with respect to blinding eye diseases, visual disorders, mechanisms of visual function, preservation of sight, and the special health problems and requirements of the blind.”

  • News & Events
    • Events Calendar
    • NEI Press Releases
    • News from NEI Grantees
    • Spokesperson bios
    • Statistics and Data
    • Resources for the media

    Pressroom Contacts

    Dustin Hays - Chief, Science Communication
    dustin.hays@nih.gov

    Kathryn DeMott, Media Relations
    Kathryn.DeMott@nih.gov

    NEI Office of Communications
    (301)496-5248

  • Health Information
    • Frequently asked questions
    • Clinical Studies
    • Publications Catalog
    • Photos and Images
    • Spanish Language Information
  • Grants and Funding
    • Extramural Research
    • Division of Extramural Science Programs
    • Division of Extramural Activities

    Extramural Contacts

    NEI Division of Extramural Research
    Suite 1300
    5635 Fishers Lane, MSC 9300
    Bethesda, MD 20892-9300
    (Courier services use: Rockville, MD 20852)
    301-451-2020

  • Research at NEI
    • Office of the Scientific Director
    • Office of the Clinical Director
    • Laboratories, Sections and Units
    • Division of Epidemiology and Clinical Applications
    • eyeGENE

    Research Directors Office

    Office of the Scientific Director

    Sheldon S. Miller, Ph.D., Scientific Director
    David M. Schneeweis, Ph.D., Deputy Scientific Director

    Office of the Clinical Director

    Brian P. Brooks, M.D, Ph.D., Clinical Director
    Emily Y. Chew, M.D., Deputy Clinical Director

  • Education Programs
    • National Eye Health Education Program (NEHEP)
    • Diabetic Eye Disease Education Program
    • Glaucoma Education Program
    • Low Vision Education Program
    • Hispanic/Latino Program
    • Vision and Aging Program
    • African American Program
  • Training and Jobs
    • Fellowships
    • NEI Summer Intern Program
    • Diversity In Vision Research & Ophthalmology (DIVRO)
    • Student Training Programs

    To search for current job openings visit HHS USAJobs

Home >> Age-Related Eye Disease Study 2 (AREDS2)
Listen

Age-Related Eye Disease Study 2 (AREDS2)

areds logo

A scene as it might be viewed by a person with AMD.
Age related macular degeneration
View more AMD Photos and Images

Researchers with the Age-Related Eye Disease Study (AREDS) reported in 2001 that a nutritional supplement called the AREDS formulation can reduce the risk of developing advanced age-related macular degeneration (AMD). The original AREDS formulation contains vitamin C, vitamin E, beta-carotene, zinc and copper.

In 2006, the same research group, which is based at NIH's National Eye Institute, began a second study called AREDS2 to determine if they could improve the AREDS formulation. They tried adding omega-3 fatty acids, as well as the antioxidants lutein and zeaxanthin, which are in the same family of nutrients as beta-carotene. The researchers also tried substituting lutein and zeaxanthin for beta-carotene, which prior studies had associated with an increased risk of lung cancer in smokers. The study found that while omega-3 fatty acids had no effect on the formulation, lutein and zeaxanthin together appeared to be a safe and effective alternative to beta-carotene.

Press Release:

NIH study provides clarity on supplements for protection against blinding eye disease, May 5, 2013

For Eye Care Professionals:

Advanced AMD Risk Calculator

For the Public:

What the Age-Related Eye Disease Studies Mean for You

Facts about AMD

For the Media:

Questions and Answers about AREDS2

More Information:

Podcast with Dr. Emily Chew on AREDS

Results from the Age-Related Eye Disease Study 2, presented by the AREDS2 Research Team at the ARVO Annual Meeting, May 5, 2013 (Video)

Images:

AMD Infographic

AMD images

Archives:

Age-Related Eye Disease Study-Results, October 12, 2001

Last Reviewed: 
May 2013
  • NEI Home
  • Contact Us
  • A-Z Site Map
  • NEI on Social Media
  • Information in Spanish (Información en español)
  • Website, Social Media Policies and Other Important Links
  • NEI Employee Emergency Information
  • NEI Intranet (Employees Only)

*PDF files require the free Adobe® Reader® software for viewing.

This website is maintained by the NEI Office of Science Communications, Public Liaison, and Education.
Technical questions about this website can be addressed to the NEI Website Manager.
Department of Health and Human Services | The National Institutes of Health | USA.gov NIH…Turning Discovery Into Health ®