Contrary to what the lutein supplement manufacturers and marketers will have you know lutein is not wholly effective without zeaxanthin.
Least of all do they want you to know are the sources of zeaxanthin, because it is abundantly present in the food you eat.
Zeaxanthin is a well-known carotenoid and is abundantly present along with lutein in the central part of the retina called the macula.
Together they fight off the free radicals formed by harmful light rays and medications.
These harmful free radicals inflict a lot of damage to the tissues of the eye and are the main cause of AMD - age-related mascular degeneration.
While zeaxanthin is responsible for the protection and repair of the cones in the macula - the central part of the retina - lutein is responsible for the well being of the rods that constitute the periphery of the retina.
Together the rods and cones are what provide one with good eyesight.
Should one of the two groups - and there are hundreds of thousands in each group - go bad then vision will begin to fail.
This is why lutein should be taken along with zeanathin every time.
Zeaxanthin is one of nature's most abundant carotenoid alcohols and is found abundantly in corn, pepper, saffron and many hundreds of other plants.
In fact, zeaxanthin is responsible for the characteristic taste and aroma of saffron, which is one of the main zeaxanthin sources.
Like its counterpart (lutein) in the prevention and repair of eye tissue, zeaxanthin can be found abundantly in green leafy vegetables.
This is a great source of zeaxanthin and a diet rich in green vegetables will be ideal for all the natural zeaxanthin and lutein one needs to prevent the onset of any vision defects.
Any of the natural sources of zeaxanthin is always better than any laboratory prepared zeaxanthin supplement pill.
However, it is not always possible to get the proper amounts of zeaxanthin and lutein from a diet.
This is because no natural zeaxanthin source can provide all the zeaxanthin and lutein needed in an emergency situation.
No matter how many green vegetables we eat, it takes a long time to build up our vital reserves of zeaxanthin and lutein.
So we should also look to other sources of zeaxanthin.
Supplements are one the best zeaxanthin sources of in case one needs to build up lutein and zeaxanthin reserves fast.
  They also fill in the gaps when we don't eat healhy foods, ensuring that we get enough zeaxanthin in our diets.
How much zeaxanthin is enough?  Guidelines currently recommend 6 mg each of zeaxanthin and lutein per day.
  However, these guidelines were set decades ago and are now outdated.
If you're looking to improve your eye health, most nutrition experts will recommend around 24 mg each of zeaxanthin and lutein per day.
  This will help promote improvement will your eyes' central vision and will improve colors--make them crisper and brighter.
While lutein and zeaxanthin are the most important for your eyes, other nutrients are important too.
  Make sure you get enough vitamin B12 and B2, I-carnosine, anthocyanins, beta-carotene and glucosamine.
  These nutrients will further help promote better eye health, especially as we age.
Though the Internet is full of information on the topic of vision diseases and the many ways to cure them, few talk about the benefits of lutein and zeaxanthin.
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