| the biggest health fear facing Americans today? | | | | Nutrients and Herbs Addressing Vision Health |
| According to a survey done by the American | | | | Various herbs, vitamins, minerals and other nutrients |
| Foundation for the Blind, most Americans fear loss of | | | | have been intensively researched for their role in |
| vision even above the fear of getting cancer, heart | | | | supporting vision health, especially age-related macular |
| disease, diabetes, HIV or any other life-threatening | | | | degeneration, glaucoma, cataract, night blindness and |
| health problem. The national poll revealed that | | | | low vision. Herbs and nutrients have also been |
| age-related blindness or low vision is the topmost fear | | | | identified to address issues such as dry eyes and eye |
| because it incapacitates people from living a normal life | | | | fatigue. Eye fatigue is often caused by modern living |
| and increases dependency levels. | | | | which involves long hours in front of visual display |
| Apparently, this fear is real and is the major factor | | | | terminals. |
| driving the growth of the vision health supplement | | | | According to the American Optometric Association |
| industry. Over the years, the sale of vision health | | | | (AOA), vital nutrients essential for supporting vision |
| supplements has grown dramatically, largely supported | | | | health are lutein, zeaxanthin, essential fatty acids, zinc, |
| by America's teeming population of senior citizens. | | | | Vitamin C and Vitamin E. Other important nutrients and |
| A report in the November 2009 issue of U.S. Eye | | | | herbs include Vitamin A, Vitamin B2, selenium, copper, |
| Health Ingredients, interest in vision health nutritional | | | | N-Acetyl Cysteine, astaxanthin bilberry extract, |
| supplements is backed by America's rapidly rising aging | | | | eyebright and lycopene. |
| population. Americans over 65 are particularly affected | | | | According to Frost & Sullivan, opportunities in the |
| by common eye diseases such as age-related | | | | American market are open for eye health nutrients |
| macular degeneration, glaucoma, cataracts and | | | | such as zeaxanthin, bilberry extracts, lutein, |
| diabetic retinopathy Statistics from the Administration | | | | beta-carotene and astaxanthin. Analysts predict the |
| of Aging show that by the year 2030, 20 percent of | | | | nutrient, lutein, to grow at a volume of 6 per cent. |
| the American population, will be over 62. Next year the | | | | Zeaxanthin is predicted to have a 9 percent growth |
| oldest baby boomers will turn 65. This is indeed, a | | | | rate. |
| brimming consumer market for vision health | | | | Vision health supplements can be manufactured in |
| supplement manufacturers. | | | | various delivery forms such as tablets, capsules, |
| Nutritional Supplements - an Increasingly Popular | | | | softgels, liquids, powders and also include homeopathic |
| Consumer Option | | | | eye drops. |
| The importance of supplements has been gaining | | | | Vision Health Supplements - Growing Market |
| unprecedented interest since 1994 when the Dietary | | | | According to Functional Ingredients, the US eye health |
| Supplement Health & Education Act (DHEA) | | | | ingredients market was worth $138 million n 2008, and |
| allowed nutritional supplement labels to describe | | | | is predicted to grow annually at the rate of 5 percent. |
| specific health benefits to ingredients in nutritional | | | | The CAGR from 2008 to 2015 is forecast at 5.3 |
| products. Since then, the industry has been providing | | | | percent. |
| targeted nutrients which address key health conditions | | | | The National Eye Institute estimates that there are 3.3 |
| meeting the needs of a wide body of consumers | | | | million Americans who are 40 years or older suffering |
| looking for natural solutions. The recent regulations to | | | | from low vision or blindness. These numbers are |
| the dietary supplement industry have served to | | | | expected to increase to 5.5 million in 2020 as more |
| re-enforce high quality standards and thus boost the | | | | baby boomers reach the ranks of senior citizenship. |
| respectable image of nutritional supplements. | | | | Nutritional supplements are fasting gaining consumer |
| Consumer usage of nutritional supplements is | | | | trust. Combined with the expanding population of aging |
| expected to rise as research widens and validates the | | | | baby boomers the nutritional vision health market is |
| efficacy of certain nutrients and herbs for specific | | | | certainly at the threshold of burgeoning expansion and |
| health conditions. | | | | growth. |