The Age-Related Eye Disease Study (AREDS) was a randomized clinical trial study that followed participants over eight years since the start of enrollment in 1992 and was completed in 2001. The study showed the combination of high levels of antioxidants and zinc can reduce the risk of advanced Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) and its associated vision loss. This combination isn’t a cure or treatment for AMD. The specific daily amounts of antioxidants and zinc used in the study were – 500 milligrams of vitamin C, 400 International Units of vitamin E, 15 milligrams of beta-carotene (equivalent to 25,000 International Units of vitamin A), 80 milligrams of zinc as zinc oxide, and 2 milligrams of copper as cupric oxide.