Effects of lutein- and zeaxanthin-containing antioxidant vitamin– mineral complexes on retinal function in patients with dry age- related macular degeneration and myopic maculopathy associated with high myopia

Abstract

Background: oxidative stress plays an important role in the progression of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and myopic maculopathy associated with high myopia. Therefore, successful treatment largely depends on adequate antioxidant therapy. Aim: to evaluate retinal function in patients with dry AMD and high myopia during treatment with antioxidant vitamin–mineral complexes (VMCs) containing lutein and zeaxanthin. Patients and Methods: retinal function was evaluated in patients with dry AMD and high myopia during a 4-month course of antioxidant VMCs. All patients underwent assessment of visual acuity, contrast sensitivity, light sensitivity, and dark adaptation before treatment initiation and after completion of the treatment course. Results: in patients with AMD, the mean best-corrected visual acuity showed a non-significant increase of 5.88%, from 0.51 to 0.55 (p=0.522). Changes in visual acuity following treatment with VMCs containing lutein, zeaxanthin, and antioxidants were associated with disease duration (r=-0.59). Contrast sensitivity increased significantly by 7.69% (p=0.005). The Kravkov–Purkinje test result in patients with AMD increased by 57.35%, and the mean square-recognition time reached 24.4±29.62 s. In patients with high myopia, both uncorrected and best-corrected visual acuity showed improvement after treatment: uncorrected visual acuity increased from 0.09 to 0.11 (22.2%; p=0.004), and best-corrected visual acuity increased from 0.91 to 0.95 (4.4%; p=0.001). Contrast sensitivity improved significantly (p=0.001), increasing from 1.70 to 1.85 log units (8.82%). The dark adaptation test time decreased significantly (p=0.0001), from 0.89 s to 0.52 s (41.57%). Conclusion: long-term administration of a two-stage regimen of VMCs had a beneficial effect on retinal function in patients with dry AMD and high myopia. Early initiation of antioxidant VMCs containing lutein and zeaxanthin may provide favorable conditions for maintaining visual system health, reduce the risk of disease progression, and improve the effectiveness of primary therapeutic treatment. KEYWORDS: myopia, age-related macular degeneration, antioxidants, lutein, zeaxanthin, lutein- and zeaxanthin-containing antioxidant vitamin-mineral complexes. FOR CITATION: Altynbaeva G.R., Azamatova G.A. Effects of lutein- and zeaxanthin-containing antioxidant vitamin–mineral complexes on retinal function in patients with dry age-related macular degeneration and myopic maculopathy associated with high myopia. Russian Journal of Clinical Ophthalmology. 2026;26(3):231–236 (in Russ.). DOI: 10.32364/2311-7729-2026-26-3-6