 | Glossary - AMD
- Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a disease affecting the central retina or macula of the eye. AMD is the leading cause of a loss of vision in our elderly population. Macular degeneration decreases central vision. People who have age-related macular degeneration have problems reading, driving and performing activities that require clear central vision. There is currently no known cure for macular degeneration. Factors that increase your risk for AMD include advancing age, family history, being female, being Caucasian, smoking, drinking alcohol, sun exposure and heart and blood vessel diseases such as high blood pressure.
^ top - Antioxidant
- Substance reducing damage due to free radicals. Free radicals are highly reactive molecules that are created in the body during normal functioning or come from the environment, for example smoking and air pollution. Free radicals react with certain chemicals in the body and, in the process, interfere with the cells' ability to function normally. Antioxidants interact with free radicals to neutralize them. Examples of antioxidants include vitamin C, vitamin E and carotenoids. Antioxidants are commonly added to food products like vegetable oils and prepared foods to prevent or delay their deterioration from the action of the air. Antioxidants may possibly reduce the risks of cancer, heart disease and degenerative eye diseases.
^ top - Blindness
- Partial or complete loss of sight. The causes for blindness include injuries to the brain or optic nerve, diseases of the cornea or retina, diabetes, cataracts, glaucoma, detachment of the retina, infectious disease or a lack of needed nutrients in the diet.
^ top - Carotenoids
- Carotenoids are a family of more than 600 pigments found in nature! Carotenoids are the pigments that give color to egg yolks, tomatoes, many vegetables, all green leaves, and fruits. They also occur in shellfish, certain kinds of fish, feathers, flowers and insects. They cannot be made in the body and must be obtained from the diet. Carotenoids are natural coloring and stabilizing agents. Foods that contain carotenoids retain their appearance for long periods of time and withstand the effects of direct sunlight.
^ top - Cataracts
- Opaque or translucent areas in the lens that prevents the passage of the rays of light and can cause blurred vision. Cataracts are one of the main causes of blindness worldwide. Factors that contribute to AMD are also relevant to cataracts, such as smoking, diet, sun exposure and age. Although cataracts can be treated surgically by replacing the natural lens, the procedure is costly and not available in all parts of the world. This means that prevention is also crucial in dealing with this common eye disease that leads to loss of vision and function.
^ top - Cornea
- Transparent portion of the outer covering of the eye. It covers the lens and iris.
- Dietary supplement
- Product taken by mouth that contains one or several ingredients intended to add to or supplement the diet. These ingredients include vitamins, carotenoids, minerals, plants, and amino acids. Dietary supplements may be found in many forms such as tablets, lozenges, capsules, softgels, effervescents, liquids, or powders.
^ top - DSM
- DSM supplies major product compounds to virtually every global producer in the dietary supplement, pharmaceutical, food, personal care, automotive and transport, metal and machine building, agriculture and animal feed, textiles and construction industries. DSM also supplies products like the plastics used in mobile phones, the high performance fibers that are used in nets, sporting goods and clothing, bonding agents and lacquers for CDs and DVDs. Life science products are used in medicines, perfumes, beer, milk products and infant foods. Industrial chemicals find their use, for example, in sports jackets, sports shoes, and paper money coatings. DSM is engaged in the exploration and production of oil and natural gas.
As a materials and ingredient supplier, we are behind the brands that are used and consumed every day by millions of consumers. DSM ranks among the global leaders in many of its fields and is headquartered in the Netherlands, with locations in all of the major countries around the world. DSM consists of several clusters, including Performance Materials, Industrial Chemicals and Life Sciences, where DSM Nutritional Products plays an important role.
See also www.dsm.com
^ top - DSM Nutritional Products
- In 2003 DSM has acquired Roche Vitamins and Fine Chemicals, which was part of F. Hoffmann-La Roche headquartered in Basel, Switzerland. Being part of DSM, the name of the former Roche Vitamins and Fine Chemicals, is now DSM Nutritional Products. We manufacture and supply vitamins and other nutritional ingredients to the dietary supplement, food, livestock and personal care industries and have an extensive portfolio of products including vitamins, carotenoids, LC-PUFAs, citric acid and other nutraceuticals. Our wide variety of product forms and nutrient blends are designed to provide optimum performance in a broad range of applications. As a global leader in nutraceutical research, DSM Nutritional Products is working in conjunction with major universities and actively assisting industry in developing new, beneficial products for the marketplace.
See also www.dsmnutritionalproducts.com
^ top - Fortified Foods
- Fortified foods are foods like breakfast cereals, breads, sports drinks, nutritional bars, fortified snack foods, baby foods, prepared meals and more, enriched with nutritional ingredients to increase their health value. These ingredients include vitamins, carotenoids, minerals, plants, and amino acids. They are added to the food after processing, often to replace those lost during the manufacturing process.
^ top - Free radicals
- Free radicals are highly reactive molecules that are created in the body during normal functioning or introduced from the environment. Free radicals react with certain chemicals in the body, and in the process, interfere with the cells' ability to function normally. Decreasing exposure to free radicals has the potential to reduce the risk of free radical-related health problems.
^ top - Glaucoma
- Any of a group of eye diseases involving increased pressure inside the eye, which damages the optic nerve and can progress to complete loss of vision. Available treatments are designed to reduce the pressure and can delay the progression of the disease. Glaucoma treatments include medications, laser surgery, conventional surgery, or a combination of any of these. They may save remaining vision, but do not improve sight already lost from glaucoma.
^ top - Iris
- Muscular diaphragm inside the eye that controls the size of the pupil. It forms the colored portion of the eye.
^ top - Lens
- Biconvex transparent body situated behind the iris in the eye. It focuses light rays on the retina.
- Lutein
- Naturally occurring carotenoid found abundantly in cabbage, savoy, watercress and spinach. Lutein is also found in the human retina. Lutein and zeaxanthin are believed to act complementarily in the prevention of eye diseases such as cataracts and AMD.
See also lutein, DSM Nutritional Products
^ top - Macula lutea
 (or yellow spot) Small area of the retina that contains special light-sensitive cells. The macula allows us to see fine details clearly. High concentrations of zeaxanthin and lutein accumulate in the macula lutea, giving it its yellow color. Early anatomists referred to this area as the macula lutea or "yellow spot" because of the deep yellow hues of zeaxanthin and lutein. The way the retina is organized, light must first pass through the highest concentrations of lutein and zeaxanthin before reaching the light sensitive cells.
^ top- Near-to-UV blue light
- Blue light with wavelengths just above the UV spectrum is the highest energy and potentially most damaging wavelength of visible light that reaches the retina. Zeaxanthin (OPTISHARP™ ) and lutein, which are concentrated in the retina, are both able to filter out these wavelengths.
- Odds-ratio
- The probability of the occurrence of a certain event which can be measured within epidemiological studies. Odds-ratio allows the scientist to compare this probability for two different groups of individuals: an odds-ratio of 1 means that the event is equally likely in both groups; an odds-ratio greater (or smaller) than 1 implies that the event is more (or less) likely in the first group.
^ top - Ophthalmologist
- Physician (medical doctor) specialized in the medicine of the eye. Also known as an eye doctor.
- Optician
- A specialist in fitting eyeglasses and making lenses to correct visual conditions. An optometrist performs eye examinations and writes prescriptions for corrective glasses or lenses; an optician fills that prescription.
^ top - OPTISHARP™
- DSM Nutritional Products produces OPTISHARP™, a very pure and defined zeaxanthin, for use in human nutrition and health products. It is identical in composition to that found in nature, which means that its chemical structure and properties cannot be distinguished from the zeaxanthin found in plants. OPTISHARP™ can be found in several countries in a range of dietary supplements, food products and beverages. Please check out the section "Products" on the web site.
^ top - Optometrist
- Health care professional licensed to provide certain primary eye care services, which may include the diagnosis of eye diseases, the treatment of visual conditions and the prescription of glasses. What they are licensed to diagnose and treat is subject to regional differences.
^ top - Retina
- The light-sensitive membrane covering the back inside wall of the eyeball. When light hits the retina, it generates impulses that travel through the optic nerve to the brain. A small area of the retina, the macula lutea or yellow spot, allows us to see fine details clearly.
^ top - Vision
- Vision is the process of converting light into image signals that the brain can record and understand. This complex process is accomplished by our eyes.
Visual acuity: is the measure of the eye's ability to distinguish the smallest identifiable letter or symbol, its details and shape, at a defined distance.
Low vision: People with low vision can use their sight. However, low vision may interfere with the performance of daily activities, such as reading or driving.
^ top - Yellow spot
- see Macula Lutea
- Zeaxanthin
- Naturally occurring carotenoid which gives corn its yellow color. It is also found in dark green, red and yellow fruits and vegetables such as squashs, peas, cabbages, peppers, oranges, kiwis and grapes. Zeaxanthin, like all carotenoids, cannot be made by the body, and high levels can only be obtained from dietary supplements. Zeaxanthin is found in high concentration in the human retina. Zeaxanthin is the active ingredient of OPTISHARP™.
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