The eyes are the human senses are very essential. Can imagine if we had eye damage or blindness, we are not able to enjoy and feel how beautiful this universe.
In fact we often forget to make eye care, but just as other parts of the body, the eyes may be affected by interference or health problems. Disturbance-ganguan these can be caused by air is not clean or polluted, solar radiation, radiation from too long in front of the computer, and other disturbances.
Study conducted by the Eye Disease Prevalence Research Group (2004) estimates that by 2020 the number of people with eye disease and blindness in the world will reach 55 million people.
This study also mentions that the eye disease and blindness will increase especially for those who have over 65 years old. A person aged 80 years and over who are 8% of the total population, suffered blindness as much as 69%.
Health disorders in the eyes of a common vision is a reduction function, symptoms of red eyes without any decrease in vision function, and red eyes with visual function down. Until now, many eye diseases which are suffered cataracts, glaucoma, and infections.
Along with increased attention and knowledge of the influence of nutrition on health, causing eye health, especially the rapid growth of markets for health products, food drug, health food, medical drugs, food supplements, health supplements, herbal medicine, natural medicine eye.
Most of the products for the eye health supplements marketed now shaped, food drug, health food, medical drugs, food supplements, health supplements, herbal medicine, natural medicine.
In addition to the antioxidant compounds (vitamins A, C, and E) that previously had been known to improve eye health, other compounds such as lutein, zeaxanthin, and astaxanthin, recently known as a compound that can improve eye health.
Lutein, a group of yellow carotenoid compounds there is lots of green vegetables. Lutein in the macula and are believed to protect the eyes from oxidative damage by ultraviolet rays (UV).
Macula was in the middle of the retina and directly adjacent to the lens of the eye. Macula is a small area containing millions of cells that help produce sharp eyesight to read or see objects clearly.
Another carotenoid compounds found in the macula is the zeaxanthin, which is known to provide benefits for eye health. Research conducted by Chitchumroonchokchai and colleagues in 2004 from Ohio State University, showed that lutein and zeaxanthin may protect human lens cells from exposure to UV light, which is a major cause of cataract disease.
In addition, they compared the antioxidant activity of lutein and zeaxanthin as vitamin E. The results showed that lutein and zeaxanthin showed activity 10 times higher than vitamin E in protecting the lens cells from ultraviolet light damage.
In the same year was also conducted research by Neuringer and colleagues, demonstrated the ability of lutein and zeaxanthin in eye health improve. While testing in animals, sponsored by DSM Nutritional Products of Switzerland, showed that the supplementation or the addition of lutein and zeaxanthin increase the antioxidant activity in the blood.
Another carotenoid family of compounds that proved to have the ability to protect the macula from UV light exposure is astaxanthin. Guerin et al. (2003) mentions that the ability of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds the effects of astaxanthin can provide eye protection from UV rays.
Until now the antioxidant activity of the compounds lutein, zeaxanthin, and astaxanthin provide answers mechanism eye health improvement. Free radicals from UV light or air contamination, into the eye resulted in the oxidation reactions of molecules susceptible to the eye lens.