Lutein, Blackcurrant Reduce Visual Fatigue

Supplementing with a combination of lutein, zeaxanthin and blackcurrant extract (LUT) could help to reduce symptoms of visual fatigue, according to a study published in Applied Ergonomics (2009; June 19). The double blind, placebo-controlled cross-over trial randomly assigned the LUT supplement and placebo samples to 13 participants, who took the samples for two LUT (and vice versa) for another two week. Each participant completed visual proof reading tasks for two hours during each of four testing sessions. The results suggested the proof reading task induced visual fatigue. An analysis of eye fixation related potentials (EFRP) and other psychophysiological data revealed significant differences between the LUT and placebo conditions.