Eye Health Supplements: Meet Vision+ With Lutein and Zeaxanthin

Eye health supplements are daily formulas that supply nutrients the eye relies on, most often the carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin plus antioxidant vitamins and zinc. They are meant to support a healthy visual system alongside a good diet and regular eye exams, not to replace either. Vision+™ is our version: lutein, zeaxanthin and bilberry in a ten-ingredient blend, plus fourteen vitamins and minerals with their amounts printed on the label.*

What do eye health supplements usually contain?

Most eye formulas are built from the same short list. Each ingredient has a different job, and reading a label is easier once you know them.

• Lutein and zeaxanthin. Lutein and zeaxanthin are yellow pigments the body concentrates in the macula, the small central part of the retina used for sharp, detailed vision. The body cannot make them; they come from food (leafy greens, egg yolks, corn) or a supplement.
• Antioxidant vitamins. Vitamins C and E are common, as is vitamin A or its plant precursor, beta-carotene.
• Zinc and copper. Zinc is concentrated in eye tissue; copper is usually added because long-term zinc intake can lower copper levels.
• Botanicals. Bilberry, grape seed and similar plant extracts supply polyphenols.

Two things separate one label from another: which of these it includes, and whether it tells you how much of each.

What does the research on lutein and zeaxanthin show?

Lutein and zeaxanthin are studied in eye research mostly for their role in building macular pigment. Questions about specific eye conditions belong with an eye doctor, so here we stay with what the research measures, such as macular pigment and how the eye handles bright light.

A 2023 review of randomized controlled trials by researchers at the National University of Singapore, published in Nutrition Reviews, pooled studies of lutein, zeaxanthin and related pigments (called xanthophylls) taken in food or supplements, in healthy adults and in people with eye disease. It found that a higher intake raised macular pigment and shortened photostress recovery time (how quickly vision recovers after a bright light); better visual acuity was seen only in the people with eye disease. The authors also found that changes in macular pigment tracked changes in blood lutein levels but not the amount of xanthophylls taken in, which they read as a sign that how well the body absorbs these pigments matters.

It's worth being straightforward here: these trials measure macular pigment and lab tests of vision, not what any one supplement will do for you. Lutein trials give set amounts of lutein and zeaxanthin, so their results describe those amounts rather than any one product. Our companion guide, Lutein and Zeaxanthin for Eye Health and Screen Time, covers lutein, zeaxanthin and screen-time research in more depth.

Meet Vision+: what is in each serving

We built Vision+ around lutein and zeaxanthin, the two carotenoids the macula stores, then added a supporting cast. It supports reading clarity and color perception, provides retina defense and boosts the eye's own immune defenses.*

The vitamins and minerals (amounts on the label)

The fourteen vitamins and minerals in Vision+ are listed individually, including 200 mg of vitamin C, 20 mg of vitamin E and 32 mg of zinc per two-capsule serving. The full list also includes vitamin A (as beta-carotene, 100 mcg RAE), thiamin (8 mg), riboflavin (8 mg), niacin (40 mg NE), vitamin B12 (27 mcg), biotin (800 mcg), calcium (50 mg), magnesium (40 mg), selenium (8 mcg), copper (2 mg) and chromium (3.6 mcg). The niacin is above an upper limit on its own: the NIH Office of Dietary Supplements lists 35 mg a day as the upper limit for niacin from dietary supplements for adults 19 and older, and one serving gives 40 mg NE.

The carotenoid and botanical blend

The 481 mg proprietary blend contains lutein and zeaxanthin (both from marigold flower), bilberry extract, alpha lipoic acid, eyebright, quercetin, rutin, L-taurine, grape seed extract and lycopene. Vision+ lists lutein and zeaxanthin inside its 481 mg blend. Blend totals are on the label; the amounts inside each blend are not. That means we cannot tell you the lutein amount per serving, and you should not assume it matches the amounts given in lutein trials.

The other ingredients are rice flour, a hypromellose (vegetable) capsule, vegetable stearate and silicon dioxide. The formula is gluten-free, non-GMO, sugar-free, lactose-free and caffeine-free.

How to take Vision+

Take two veggie capsules once a day, 20 to 30 minutes before a meal with an 8 fl oz glass of water, or as directed by your healthcare professional. The 60-capsule bottle is a 30-day supply. Carotenoids are fat-soluble, so a meal that contains some fat, such as eggs, avocado or olive oil, is a sensible one to pair it with.

Safety and label checks

The Vision+ label warning reads: Do not exceed recommended dose. Pregnant or nursing mothers, children under the age of 18, and individuals with a known medical condition should consult a physician before using this or any dietary supplement. Keep out of reach of children. Do not use if safety seal is damaged or missing. Store in a cool, dry place.

• Count your zinc. Vision+ gives 32 mg of zinc per serving. If you also take a multivitamin or a zinc product, add the amounts up; the NIH Office of Dietary Supplements lists 40 mg a day as the adult upper limit for zinc from all sources, including food. The same office says zinc supplements can interact with some medicines: with quinolone or tetracycline antibiotics, take the antibiotic at least 2 hours before, or 4 to 6 hours after, a zinc supplement; take zinc and penicillamine at least 1 hour apart; and thiazide diuretics increase the zinc lost in urine. If you take any medicine, ask your healthcare provider before use.
• Check your niacin. At 40 mg NE per serving, Vision+ already gives more niacin than the 35 mg a day adult upper limit for supplemental niacin listed by the NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, so ask your healthcare provider before adding a multivitamin or B-complex that also has niacin. The same office says tuberculosis drugs such as isoniazid and pyrazinamide can lower niacin levels in the body, and that high doses of nicotinic acid (1,500 mg a day or more) can raise blood sugar and interfere with diabetes medicines.
• Know your vitamin A. Vision+ gives 100 mcg RAE of vitamin A, all as beta-carotene. The NIH Office of Dietary Supplements lists no upper limit for beta-carotene; its 3,000 mcg a day adult upper limit is for preformed vitamin A (retinyl acetate or retinyl palmitate in supplements, and liver, fish, dairy and eggs in food), and it notes that most multivitamin/mineral supplements contain vitamin A. The same office says orlistat (Alli, Xenical) can lower vitamin A absorption; that acitretin (Soriatane) and bexarotene (Targretin) taken with a vitamin A supplement could cause dangerously high blood levels of vitamin A; and that several studies have shown a higher risk of lung cancer and death in smokers, former smokers and people exposed to asbestos who take high-dose beta-carotene supplements.
• Mention the biotin before blood work. The FDA warns that biotin can interfere with some lab tests, so tell your clinician and the lab that you take a supplement with 800 mcg of biotin.
• Keep your eye exams. A supplement is no substitute for an eye exam, and any sudden change in vision needs an eye doctor the same day.

Why the label and testing matter

Vision+ is third-party tested, every batch, for purity and potency by an outside lab, and it is manufactured in USA with globally sourced materials in an NSF-certified, GMP-certified, FDA-registered facility. See how that works on our standards page. For how to compare any eye formula, read What to Look for in an Eye Vitamin.

Frequently asked questions about eye health supplements

Do zeaxanthin supplements for eyes need lutein too?

Most formulas pair them, because the macula stores both and they come together in foods such as leafy greens and egg yolks. Research often looks at them together: a 2023 review of randomized trials by researchers at the National University of Singapore grouped lutein, zeaxanthin and related pigments as xanthophylls.

How much lutein is in Vision+?

Lutein sits inside the 481 mg proprietary blend of Vision+, which lists its ingredients without individual amounts. The vitamins and minerals in Vision+, by contrast, are each printed with their amount. The Vision+ label warning reads: Do not exceed recommended dose. Pregnant or nursing mothers, children under the age of 18, and individuals with a known medical condition should consult a physician before using this or any dietary supplement. Keep out of reach of children. Do not use if safety seal is damaged or missing. Store in a cool, dry place.

Can food give me enough lutein and zeaxanthin?

Food is the first source: kale, spinach, collards, corn, peas and egg yolks all supply them. Our guide to the best foods for eye health lists practical options; a supplement can sit alongside that diet, not replace it.

Can I take an eye supplement with a multivitamin?

Often, yes, but add up the overlapping nutrients first. Vision+ has 32 mg of zinc in a serving, against an adult upper limit of 40 mg a day from all sources, including food, listed by the NIH Office of Dietary Supplements. Its 40 mg NE of niacin is already over the 35 mg a day adult upper limit that office lists for niacin from supplements, so a multivitamin with niacin adds to an amount that is over the limit. Its vitamin A is 100 mcg RAE, all as beta-carotene; the office lists no upper limit for beta-carotene, and its 3,000 mcg a day adult limit for preformed vitamin A counts food, beverages and supplements together. Vision+ also has 800 mcg of biotin, and the FDA warns that biotin can interfere with some lab tests, so tell your clinician before blood work. The Vision+ label warning reads: Do not exceed recommended dose. Pregnant or nursing mothers, children under the age of 18, and individuals with a known medical condition should consult a physician before using this or any dietary supplement. Keep out of reach of children. Do not use if safety seal is damaged or missing. Store in a cool, dry place. If you take any medicine, or if the totals look high, ask your clinician or pharmacist which product to adjust.

Is an eye supplement a substitute for an eye exam?

No. Regular dilated eye exams catch changes you cannot feel. The National Eye Institute recommends them as a core habit alongside diet, sunglasses and screen breaks.

Related reading from our Wellness Hub

• Lutein and Zeaxanthin for Eye Health and Screen Time
• What to Look for in an Eye Vitamin: Vision+ Ingredients Explained
• Third-Party Tested, Every Batch: Here’s the Receipt

Sources

• Hu W et al., 2023, Nutrition Reviews: Effect of xanthophyll-rich food and supplement intake on visual outcomes in healthy adults and those with eye disease: a systematic review, meta-analysis, and meta-regression of randomized controlled trials (PubMed)
• NIH Office of Dietary Supplements: Zinc, updated October 4, 2022
• NIH Office of Dietary Supplements: Niacin, updated March 22, 2021
• NIH Office of Dietary Supplements: Vitamin A and carotenoids, updated March 10, 2025
• FDA: Biotin interference with lab tests
• National Eye Institute: Keep Your Eyes Healthy

Individual results vary.

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.