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Updated: Aug 21, 2026

Assessment of Oxidative Damage in the Primary Mouse Ocular Surface Cells/Stem Cells in Response to Ultraviolet-C (UV-C) Damage
Published on: February 15, 2020
Protective effects of oral antioxidants on skin and eye function
Pierfrancesco Morganti1, Giuseppe Fabrizi, Cesare Bruno
1Department of Dermatology, II University of Naples, Naples, Italy. morganti@iscd.it.
Background:
Antioxidants applied topically and/or taken systemically may play an important role in counteracting the oxidative injury to lipids and proteins on the skin and eye that are provoked by radical oxygen species.
Objective:
The aim of the study was to control photoprotective activity of the skin and eye through the use of oral antioxidants in 50 smoker volunteers (10 cigarettes/d) aged between 25-36 years and affected by dry skin.
Methods:
Oxidative stress was assessed by a randomized double-blind study, and the ROS-Meter System (Dermotech, Rome, Italy). Global visual function was determined by the use of different visual surveillance tests.
Results:
A 40% decrease of oxidative stress in blood serum was verified, with a clear relationship between global visual function and the oral intake of an oxygenated carotenoid (lutein).
Conclusions:
Carotenoids used as nutritional supplements seem to play an interesting photoprotective role for both skin and eyes, eventually increasing the activity of topical sunscreens.
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