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Beta-Carotene, Smokers and Why Eye Vitamins Changed

September 27, 2026 · Independent reader's guide

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If an eye supplement lists vitamin A as beta-carotene, this article matters most to anyone who smokes or used to.

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What the trials showed

Two large trials in the 1990s, ATBC in Finland and CARET in the United States, gave high-dose beta-carotene to smokers and to people with heavy asbestos exposure. Rather than protecting, beta-carotene increased lung cancer cases in those groups.

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How it changed eye formulas

The original AREDS formula contained 15 mg beta-carotene. When researchers designed AREDS2, they tested lutein and zeaxanthin in its place, partly because of this concern. In AREDS2, lung cancer was more common among former smokers taking beta-carotene.

What to do

  • Read the vitamin A line on any eye product.
  • If it says beta-carotene and you smoke or used to, ask your clinician first.
  • Prefer formulas that print their doses.
Retina Clear: the seller lists vitamin A as beta-carotene and publishes no amount. Our vitamins page covers it in detail.

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