Citing Center for Disease Control and World Health Organization statistics attesting to the magnitude of eye and vision problems around the world, Sparta, NJ- based Rise-N-Shine Vitamins enters the category with Vision Vitamins and its long list of ingredients targeting different aspects of eye health.
“Almost two of out three people suffer from digital eye strain as a result of prolonged computer and cell phone use,” Cathy Beggan, founder and president at Rise-N-Shine, told NutraIngredients-USA. “Therefore, we felt it was important to develop a product to support healthy eyes and vision for men and women of all ages.”
An ‘all-in-one’ collaboration
Unlike other eye vitamins that might focus on a specific studied ingredient or three (say lycopene, astaxanthin, tocopherols or a lutein/zeaxanthin combination) to deliver a specific eye health benefit, the Vision Vitamin is formulated with Vitamin A (beta-carotene), zinc (aspartate), lutein, bilberry fruit, grape seed, quercetin dihydrate, taurine, milk thistle seed, turmeric root and glutathione.
“There are many different eye vitamins and herbs on the market, however, we carefully selected and blended the best ingredients to form a unique ‘all in one’ collaboration,” Beggan said. “Specifically, Vitamin A is a powerful antioxidant known to contribute to overall vision strength. Lutein has been nicknamed the ‘eye vitamin’ because of its positive effects on the eyes.”
The blend also harnesses the antimicrobial tannins of bilberry to strengthen night vision and nourish the retina by increasing circulation; glutathione to help improve dry eye and reduce inflammation and oxidative stress associated with age-related macular degeneration; milk thistle to detoxify the liver in support of eye damage repair; zinc to reduce the risk of vision loss from age-related macular degeneration; and taurine – one of the most abundant amino acids in the retina – to fight off oxidative stress for retinal health.
“In the retina, taurine is critical for photoreceptor development and acts as a cytoprotectant against stress-related neuronal damage and other pathological conditions,” according to a 2022 review published in the journal Molecular Vision.
Beggan explained that quercetin dehydrate, the chemical compound cousin of the quercetin plant flavonoid, is included to protect the lens from oxidative damage and cataract formation.
In support of the individual ingredients selected for the product, Rise-N-Shine references science published by the American Optometric Association, Translational Vision Science & Technology Journal, Science & Technology Australia (STA) and the National Library of Medicine and National Center for Biotechnology Information but acknowledges that it cannot make any claims on the synergistic effects.
A history of timely products
Beggan has an established history of launching timely health and wellness products, dating back to 2006, when she introduced her first product “Wake Up on Time”, a combination of thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, Vitamin B12, Vitamin B6, L-tyrosine, eleuthero root and guarana seed extract protected by a time-release coating to help tired moms like herself wake up with an “alarm clock in a pill”.
Today, the company has over 200 supplements ranging from Blemish Blocker and Bloat Buster to Horny Goat Weed and Menopause Support. The Vision Vitamins are currently sold in select health food stores and pharmacies and on Amazon, where it is also available under the e-tailers private label brand as Best Earth Naturals Vision Support Formula.
Beggan added that Rise-N-Shine also sees opportunities in stress, immunity, focus and mushroom supplements marketed in various ways.
“We currently have some exciting proprietary new products for energy, hair and sleep in development,” she said.