Lutein and AMD

"Lutein and its related compound zeaxanthin are highly concentrated in the macula, providing a yellow color known as the macular pigment.The macular pigment protects the macula from the damaging photo-oxidative effects of blue light.
Of the 600 or so carotenoids present in nature, only a handful are present in human serum. Of those, nature has chosen only lutein and zeaxanthin to be present in the macula. These facts alone suggest that lutein plays a critical role in eye health.
There is a wealth of data available supporting a role for lutein in reducing the risk of AMD.There are a number of observational studies showing the association between lutein intake, serum levels, macular pigment density and AMD risk in humans.
Controlled intervention studies in humans are needed to establish causality. In terms of eye health, more and more studies investigating the direct effect of dietary lutein and lutein supplementation on macular pigment density are now being published.
Researchers agree that it is the body of evidence that must be evaluated collectively in order to determine the merits of a given nutrient, and any conclusions based on a single study are premature. The body of evidence appears to support a beneficial role for lutein in eye health."