Food For Healthy Eyes: Lutein and Zeaxanthin you are looking to prevent eye conditions such as macular degeneration and cataract fungus, a good way to start is to follow the right diet. For healthy eyes you need specific nutrients and foods, but special notes include lutein and xanthine. What are these and how do they keep your eyes healthy? Lutein and xanthine are carotenoids, pigments that give plants red, orange and yellow colors. One of their tasks is to protect plants from high-energy light called blue light. These substances are very dense in the macula of the eye, giving it a yellow color. In fact, the macula contains a third form of carotenoid that has been suggested in recent studies. This pigment, known as meso-xanthine, is produced in the retina using ingested lutein and is not found in any food source. Benefits of lutein and jaxanthin The primary advantage of lutein, jaxanthin and meso-jaxanthin is how they protect the eye from blue light. They prevent...