The Age-related Eye Disease Study 2 (AREDS2), initiated in 2006 and still in course, enrolled 4000 patients with non-neovascular AMD consisting of large drusen in both eyes or advanced AMD in one eye and large drusen in the fellow eye (AREDS categories 3 and 4).

The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of dietary supplements – xanthophylls (10 mg of lutein and 2 mg of zeaxanthin) and/or long-chain omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (1 g of docosahexaenoic acid [DHA] and eicosapentaenoic acid [EPA]) – on the progression to advanced AMD.

An additional goal of the study is to assess whether forms of the AREDS nutritional supplement with reduced zinc and/or no beta-carotene works as well as the original supplement in reducing the risk of progression to advanced AMD.