Frequently asked questions (FAQs)

We store patient DNA for a short period to ensure that the test is complete and does not require a re-analysis should the first laboratory procedure fail. We then destroy the sample. We do not use your information for any other purpose than your doctor’s order. Arctic Medical Laboratories is certified by the College of American Pathology (CAP), CMS under the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendment (CLIA), and by the New York State laboratory licensing authority (CLEP). We treat all patient information in accordance with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).

If you have dry AMD, then an EyeGen genetic test tells you and your doctor 3 important pieces of information (in ascending order of ‘actionability’):

• Did you inherit a substantial amount of AMD genetic risk from your parents? For each AMD risk ‘gene,’ there is a wild type (good) version and a (bad version).
• Based upon your AMD genetics, your age/smoking/BMI and AMD disease status in your left and right eye, how likely are you to progress to the advanced form of the disease in the next 2,5 & 10 years.
• If your doctor recommends eye vitamins, are you in the genotype group who should avoid a supplement with zinc, or should you take one with zinc?

If you have wet AMD, then a genetic test tells you and your doctor 2 important pieces of information (in ascending order of ‘actionability’):

• Did you inherit a substantial amount of AMD genetic risk from your parents? For each AMD risk ‘gene,’ there is a wild type (good) version and a (bad version).
• If your doctor is recommending eye vitamins, are you in the genotype group who should avoid a supplement with zinc, or should you take one with zinc?

If your doctor does not offer AMD genetic tests, we will email the clinic with important information about the EyeGen test. Alternatively, you can contact us via email or by calling at or 1-866-964-5182 to speak with our Chief Medical Officer.

Eye doctors and retinal specialists recommend eye vitamins to early AMD patients, and many patients may pro-actively choose to take them.

Many patients who have AMD will be consuming a nutrient formula daily for decades. It would be to your advantage to understand if your current nutrient formula interacts properly with your body and your personal genetics. Clinical studies demonstrate that 15% of patients’ who consume AREDS2 may actually suffer an increase risk to permanent vision loss and in much a shorter period of time.

Genetic testing identifies whether AREDS2 will either reduce or increase your risk of harm. The genetic test results may also be a warning to you and your doctor, that you need to be monitored more frequently to protect you from permanent vision loss.

There is a controversy in the scientific community about zinc sensitivities. While beneficial to most patients, zinc can be harmful to about 15% of patients with AMD if they take ‘eye vitamins’. The eye care community is split on this controversy that AREDS2 may improve or worsen your ocular condition.

For those patients who have a family history of AMD and who take AREDS2 - do not know if they are in the 15% category of patients where their AMD worsens in a shorter timeline.

You have 2 options to protect yourself:

• You can gamble, like playing Russian Roulette, and assume you are in the majority of patients for which AREDS2 is beneficial
• Or, you can receive genetic testing, to accurately identify if you have genetics that could either interact positively or negatively with AREDS2

Mishandled conflicts of interest are unfortunately quite common in medicine. The person who is best positioned about your eye health is you. How do you do this?

First, ignore every study funded by EyeGen (ArcticDx) or the NEI on this topic. That leaves you with 3 truly independent studies and below are their conclusions, copied verbatim below, as well as a short comment (in italics).

• Seddon (2016, BJO)- “The effectiveness of antioxidant and zinc supplementation appears to differ by genotype.”
  There is a statistically significant difference in the way patients respond to the eye vitamins, with (genotype) groups of patients seeing a very strong risk reduction in progression to wet AMD, and other seeing none
• Vavvas (2018, PNAS)- The AREDS formulation modifies the risk of progression to NV (wet AMD) based on individual genetics. Its use should be based on patient-specific genotype.
  There is a statistically significant difference in the way patients respond to the eye vitamins, with groups of patients seeing a strong risk reduction in progression, and others being harmed. This was seen in two distinct samples analyzed (the analytical cohort and the validation cohort), and this study is the final exhaustive analysis of the AREDS data set.
• Kaufman (2021, JVRD)-  Our data indicate an interaction between GTGs (genotype groups) and AREDS-Formula use that is consistent in size and direction with previously published reports, which had found that using AREDS-Formula supplements significantly increases the risk of nvAMD (wet AMD) for some users and significantly protects other users.
  A statistically significant interaction in the way patients respond to the eye vitamins was detected in this real world retrospective study, and confirms what the previous studies (Seddon & Vavvas) indicated

These 3 studies affirm the following- until conclusive data exists that AREDS/AREDS2 is safe for the 15% of patients who are GTG2, patients should identify if they are in this group, and take an alternate formulation if they are.

The AREDS2 study showed that the results between the 2 doses (80 mg & 25 mg/day zinc) are the same. An NEI sub-study also showed there was no difference in results when genetic subgroups were looked at. This means that the harm to ‘zinc sensitive’ patients is also the same, and that taking a lesser dose is not a useful strategy to avoid harm- you need a genetic test to determine if you’re in the ‘zinc sensitive group’ and then take a zinc-free supplement if you are.

Most primary care eye doctors and retina specialists would advise this bilateral wet AMD group to take eye vitamins. Best results are obtained based upon knowledge of your personal “eye genetics” to determine which nutrient combination best suits your genetic profile.

Clinical studies show that approximately 15% of patients’ who consume AREDS2 may have an increased risk to permanent vision loss in a much a shorter period of time.

Genetic testing identifies whether your personal genetics interacts with AREDS2 formula either positively or negatively – ultimately causing an increase or decrease for your risk of visual harm.

The goal in this situation is to protect vision in the good eye and prevent progression to wet AMD causing irreversible vision loss.  Most primary care eye doctors and retina specialists would advise this group of wet AMD patients to take eye vitamins.

Your best choice of a vitamin formula is obtained upon knowledge of your personal “eye genetics”. Knowing your genetics determines which nutrient combination best suits your personal genetic profile.

Peer reviewed clinical studies show that approximately 15% of patients’ who consume AREDS2 may increase their risk to permanent vision loss and in much a shorter period of time.

Genetic testing identifies whether AREDS2 will either reduce or increase risk of harm.

Genetic testing is not usually indicated until you have a diagnosis of AMD.  However, we understand that if you have a family member with the disease, you may want to know your genetic risk and make lifestyle changes to mitigate them.  And while AREDS2 formulations should never be taken pre-disease, knowing if you are zinc sensitive is beneficial.  Those with high(er) AMD genetic risk may want to take macular carotenoids such as lutein/zeaxanthein to reduce oxidate damage to the retina.

If you have dry AMD and do not have genetic testing, it is estimated that your doctor only has about half of the information required to make an accurate prognosis. Has this been studied? Yes, it has been proven that the addition of genetic information yields a statistically significant increase in predictive accuracy.

Why is this important? Currently, more than 75% of patients with wet AMD started treatment when it was too late to recover functional vision in the affected eye. Any improvement in the assembling of clinical data including genetic testing improves identification of those patients who are at the highest risk of progression. These patients can then be offered enhanced services like more frequent eye exams or at-home monitoring devices like ForeSee Home monitoring and Home OCT.

AREDS2 is not recommended at this time. Your kids are likely 20-30 years younger than you and with no indications of AMD. The nutrient formula in AREDS2 uses pharmacological mega doses of Vitamin E and Zinc. AREDS2 that should not be given to any children or young adults, except under the advice of their doctor. If you or your loved ones have received an eye exam and their eye doctor did not find any dry AMD, there is no need for your loved ones to consider taking AREDS2

Yes, as these carotenoids offer neuroprotection of the retina and photoprotection of human skin. These supplements improve macular pigment and protect from oxidative stress. Clinical studies show that daily consumption of carotenoids improve visual performance and is also photoprotective to the skin and eyes from harmful UV rays from the sun.

Carotenoid supplementation dose will vary with the age of the child or adult. Consult your doctor for more information.

Multivitamins were part of the AREDS & AREDS2 studies, and so do not need to be avoided if you’re zinc-sensitive. There is no reason to avoid a multivitamin if that has been part of your daily routine and discussed with your healthcare providers.

Please note - these multivitamins should have ‘normal’ levels of nutrients (up to 100% RDA), not megadoses as in AREDS2

If your eye doctor recommends you take an eye vitamin, it can be taken in addition to your multivitamin.

While there are many interesting early phase studies on these alternatives and some small human studies, none have been studied to the same scrutiny as the AREDS formula. It is unknown if they are BOTH safe and effective for AMD patients.  We advise that you discuss every addition with your healthcare providers.

Although these brands seem innocuous, they all contain very high dosages of pharmacologically active ingredients. No ‘half dosages’ or ‘combinations’ of eye vitamin brands have been studied in detail, so there is no specific information, and it’s unknown if they are BOTH safe and effective for AMD patients.

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We advise that you discuss every addition with your healthcare providers.