Eye-hand coordination refers to the ability to process information received through the eyes in order to control, direct, and guide hand movements.
Astaxanthin, lutein and zeaxanthin are carotenoid nutrients known to be beneficial for eye health.
To investigate the effects of dietary supplementation of these three nutrients on eye-hand coordination and smooth eye tracking following VDT activity, a double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial was conducted.
From March 28 to July 2, 2022, the Japan Sports Vision Association in Tokyo conducted a survey of healthy Japanese men and women between the ages of 20 and 60. Subjects had distance vision of 0.6 or better in both eyes and regularly played video games, used computers, or used VDTs for work.
A total of 28 and 29 participants were randomly assigned to the active and placebo groups, respectively.
The active group received softgels containing 6mg astaxanthin, 10mg lutein, and 2mg zeaxanthin, while the placebo group received softgels containing rice bran oil. Patients in both groups took the capsule once a day for eight weeks.
Visual function and macular pigment optical density (MAP) were assessed at baseline and two, four, and eight weeks after supplementation.
The VDT participants’ activity consisted of playing a video game on a smartphone for 30 minutes.
After eight weeks, the activity group had less eye-hand coordination time (21.45 ± 1.59 seconds) than the placebo group (22.53 ± 1.76 seconds). googletag.cmd.push(function () { googletag.display(‘text-ad1′); });
In addition, the accuracy of hand-eye coordination after VDT in the active group (83.72±6.51%) was significantly higher than in the placebo group (77.30±8.55%).
In addition, there was a significant increase in MPOD, which measures retinal macular pigment (MP) density, in the active group. MP is made up of lutein and zeaxanthin, which absorb harmful blue light. The denser it is, the stronger its protective effect will be.
Changes in MPOD levels from baseline and after eight weeks were significantly higher in the active group (0.015 ± 0.052) compared to the placebo group (-0.016 ± 0.052).
Response time to visuo-motor stimuli, as measured by smooth tracking of eye movements, did not show significant improvement after supplementation in either group.
“This study supports the hypothesis that VDT activity temporarily impairs eye-hand coordination and smooth eye tracking, and that supplementation with astaxanthin, lutein, and zeaxanthin helps mitigate VDT-induced eye-hand coordination decline,” the author said. .
The use of VDTs (including computers, smartphones and tablets) has become a typical part of the modern lifestyle.
While these devices provide convenience, increase efficiency, and reduce social isolation, especially during a pandemic, various studies have shown that prolonged VDT activity can negatively impact visual function.
“Thus, we hypothesize that physical function impaired by VDT activity may decrease eye-hand coordination, since the latter is usually associated with body movements,” the authors added.
According to previous studies, oral astaxanthin can restore eye accommodation and improve musculoskeletal symptoms, while lutein and zeaxanthin have been reported to improve image processing speed and contrast sensitivity, all of which affect visuomotor reactions.
In addition, there is evidence that intense exercise impairs peripheral visual perception by reducing brain oxygenation, which in turn can impair eye-hand coordination.
“Therefore, taking astaxanthin, lutein, and zeaxanthin may also help improve the performance of athletes such as tennis, baseball, and esports players,” the authors explain.
It should be noted that the study had some limitations, including no dietary restrictions for the participants. This means that they can consume nutrients during their daily meals.
In addition, it is not clear whether the results are an additive or synergistic effect of all three nutrients rather than an effect of a single nutrient.
“We believe that the combination of these nutrients is critical to affecting eye-hand coordination due to their different mechanisms of action. However, further studies are needed to elucidate the mechanisms underlying the beneficial effects,” the authors concluded.
“Effects of astaxanthin, lutein, and zeaxanthin on eye-hand coordination and smooth eye tracking following visual display manipulation in healthy subjects: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial”.
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