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OptiCore Pro, Lutein and Zeaxanthin: 5 Checks for AREDS Shoppers
If you searched for OptiCore Pro with lutein and zeaxanthin, or for an AREDS vision supplement, this page is for you. Five checks show what the label does and does not hold.
OptiCore Pro does not contain lutein or zeaxanthin, the two ingredients that define the AREDS2 formula. It has no copper either, and its vitamin C, vitamin E and zinc are only a fraction of the trial amounts. It is a broad multivitamin, not an AREDS-type eye formula.
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Earnings note: this website receives a payment when an order is placed through it. A bottle holds 30 capsules, one a day, and the checkout shows the current price before you pay.
- The AREDS formula used vitamin C 500 mg, vitamin E 400 IU, beta-carotene 15 mg, zinc 80 mg and copper 2 mg.
- AREDS2 replaced the beta-carotene with lutein 10 mg and zeaxanthin 2 mg.
- OptiCore Pro lists vitamin C 60 mg, vitamin E 7 mg, zinc 3.62 mg and vitamin A 60 mcg RAE.
- It contains no lutein, no zeaxanthin, no copper and no omega-3.
- Both trials studied people who already had macular disease. Neither tested OptiCore Pro.
- Do not describe this capsule as an AREDS-type eye formula.
Is OptiCore Pro an AREDS vision supplement? Five checks
The word AREDS is not a protected label term. Anyone can print it. So run these checks on any bottle, this one included.
- Know which formula you are comparing against.
AREDS is the first trial formula. AREDS2 is the revised one. The National Eye Institute prints both, ingredient by ingredient, on a free page. Read it before you shop, because it takes about a minute.
- Look for the three ingredients AREDS2 is known for.
Lutein, zeaxanthin and copper. On the OptiCore Pro panel all three are absent. Omega-3, which AREDS2 also tested, is absent too.
- Do the arithmetic on each row that overlaps.
Vitamin C: 60 mg on the label, 500 mg in the trial. Vitamin E: 7 mg on the label, 400 IU in the trial. Zinc: 3.62 mg against 80 mg, or the lower 25 mg arm. Each is a fraction.
- Ask who was studied.
Everyone in AREDS and AREDS2 already had macular changes. The trials asked whether a formula slowed progression, not whether it improved sight or prevented the condition.
- Take a diagnosis to an eye doctor.
If you have been told you have macular disease, a supplement choice is a decision for your eye doctor. The National Eye Institute and MedlinePlus explain the condition in plain terms.
How does the OptiCore Pro label compare with AREDS and AREDS2?
| Ingredient | AREDS | AREDS2 | OptiCore Pro label |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vitamin C | 500 mg | 500 mg | 60 mg |
| Vitamin E | 400 IU | 400 IU | 7 mg |
| Beta-carotene | 15 mg | Removed | 60 mcg RAE of vitamin A, as beta-carotene |
| Lutein | None | 10 mg | None |
| Zeaxanthin | None | 2 mg | None |
| Zinc | 80 mg | 80 mg and 25 mg tested | 3.62 mg |
| Copper | 2 mg | 2 mg | None |
| Omega-3 | None | DHA 350 mg and EPA 650 mg, tested | None |
Trial figures are from the published papers and the National Eye Institute page. Label figures are from the printed panel.
Read down the last column and the picture is clear. Only a few rows overlap with the trials, and each at a small share. The three ingredients that define AREDS2 are not there.
Why does OptiCore Pro have no copper?
Both trials added 2 mg of copper for one reason. Sustained high-dose zinc can deplete copper. At 80 mg of zinc that was a real concern.
OptiCore Pro carries 3.62 mg of zinc, so that problem does not arise at this amount. The missing copper is consistent with the zinc figure, and it is not an oversight. It does mean the capsule is a different kind of product from the trial formulas.
Do macular supplements work, and are they for seniors?
Here is what the sources say. The high-dose AREDS-type formulas were tested in people with established disease, over years. The Cochrane review on prevention looked at people without the condition and found no evidence that these nutrients stop it developing.
So a macular supplement is not a general purchase for every older adult. For someone with a diagnosis, the formula and the amounts are an eye doctor's call. Those formulas are sold through pharmacies and often described as being for people with a diagnosis. OptiCore Pro is not sold for that purpose.
OptiCore Pro does not treat or prevent macular degeneration, cataract, glaucoma or any eye disease. If you have a diagnosis, follow your eye doctor.
What does AREDS-based or AREDS2-inspired mean on a bottle?
The words have no legal definition. A seller may use them when only some of the ingredients are present, at some of the amounts. The only way to know is to read the panel against the table above.
A bottle with trial-sized amounts would carry all six: vitamin C 500 mg, vitamin E 400 IU, lutein 10 mg, zeaxanthin 2 mg, zinc at 80 mg or 25 mg, and copper 2 mg. If one is missing, ask why. If several are small, call it what it is.
OptiCore Pro does not use those phrases on its bottle, which prints no benefit line at all. We do not describe it that way either, and nobody else should.
What if you want lutein and zeaxanthin?
Then this is the wrong bottle. Buy them separately, or buy a different formula, and read its panel with the five checks above.
Taking a separate lutein and zeaxanthin capsule beside OptiCore Pro creates no overlap, because neither is on this panel. Still, tell your doctor or pharmacist about every product you take, and add up the rows that appear on both labels.
If a broad one-capsule multivitamin built around the eye appeals to you, OptiCore Pro is an honest description of that. It is sold for everyday vision wellness and eye comfort, and the bottle itself makes no claim. It is a dietary supplement, it is not FDA approved, and it is not a treatment.
Which sources does this article use?
- The AREDS trial: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11594942/
- AREDS2: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23644932/
- The National Eye Institute's page on the two formulations: https://www.nei.nih.gov/research/clinical-trials/age-related-eye-disease-studies-aredsareds2/about-areds-and-areds2
- The 2023 Cochrane review: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37702300/
- The Cochrane review on prevention: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28756617/
- The National Eye Institute on age-related macular degeneration: https://www.nei.nih.gov/learn-about-eye-health/eye-conditions-and-diseases/age-related-macular-degeneration
- MedlinePlus on macular degeneration: https://medlineplus.gov/maculardegeneration.html
- NCCIH's guidance on using supplements wisely: https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/using-dietary-supplements-wisely
Frequently asked questions
Does OptiCore Pro contain lutein and zeaxanthin?
No. Neither appears on the panel. They are the two carotenoids AREDS2 added, at 10 mg and 2 mg a day.
Is OptiCore Pro an AREDS vision supplement?
No. It carries no lutein, zeaxanthin or copper, and its vitamin C, vitamin E and zinc are a small share of the AREDS amounts.
Why does OptiCore Pro have so little vitamin C compared with AREDS?
It is a broad daily multivitamin, not a trial formula. The label lists vitamin C at 60 mg, while AREDS used 500 mg.
Do macular supplements work?
The AREDS-type formulas were tested in people who already had macular disease. For people without it, a Cochrane review found no evidence that these nutrients prevent the condition.
Can I take lutein and zeaxanthin with OptiCore Pro?
There is no overlap, since neither is on the panel. Tell your doctor or pharmacist, and add up any rows that appear on both labels.
Where can I read the AREDS and AREDS2 formulas?
The National Eye Institute prints both formulas ingredient by ingredient on a free page, linked in the sources below.
Our view
We would rather you leave with the right expectation than the wrong bottle. OptiCore Pro is a broad multivitamin with an eye-shaped label. It does not hold the ingredients that define the modern eye formula, and we will not pretend it does.
That does not make it a bad purchase for the right buyer. It does make the AREDS shopper's checklist a useful tool, because it works on every bottle you look at.
If you have a diagnosis, talk to your eye doctor before you choose any supplement.
If a multivitamin is the right fit
Buy for what the label holds. The checkout shows your total and any shipping line before you confirm.
See today's price and guarantee
Earnings note: this website receives a payment when an order is placed through it. A bottle holds 30 capsules, one a day, and the checkout shows the current price before you pay.
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