Black currant extract supports eye health in subjects susceptible to digital eye fatigue, says recent study

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Artemis recently announced the results of a study demonstrating the eye health benefits of its black currant extract, CurrantCraft. In the study, which was conducted by the contract research organization Franklin Health Research, 61 adult female participants between the ages of 30 and 50 working or studying full time in an online environment were randomized to receive either 455 mg of the black currant extract daily for ten weeks or placebo. The black currant extract was administered in two capsules daily, containing 227.5mg of CurrantCraft 11% black currant extract, providing 50 mg of standardized anthocyanins.

The primary outcome of eye health was measured on day 70 using a modified version of the Hayes et al. (2007) Ocular Discomfort Questionnaire, which is a survey that measures eye health and symptoms of digital eye fatigue and quality of life. This includes three domains: blurred vision, dry eye, and eye strain.

Results showed that subjects in the black currant group saw a 29.9% reduction in symptoms of blurry vision, and 16.4% reduction in dry eye scores compared to a 13% reduction in the placebo group, however the difference in dry eye scores between the experimental and placebo group was not deemed statistically significant. The black currant group also saw a large drop in eye strain scores (13.77 to 9.63). Compared to reductions in the placebo group (12.87 to 9.97), the differences were not deemed statistically significant.

“The pandemic’s many disruptions have created a need for innovative health solutions that can deliver meaningful results. Our research team was excited to see the impressive effects of CurrantCraft on screen-induced symptoms such as blurred vision and double vision,” said Jessie Hawkins, PhD, executive director, Franklin Health Research Center, in a press release.

“Artemis International is very excited about the potential for CurrantCraft in the ocular health market,” said Melanie Bush, vice president of science and research. “With more people moving to remote learning and work, and many indications showing that this will become more the norm in our post-pandemic lives, this study clearly demonstrates that black currant berries show substantial promise to support overall eye health.”