Unless your life is confined to a hermetically sealed bubble, your eyes are constantly under attack. Many jobs and hobbies require long stretches staring at a screen, leading to eyestrain. Spend too much time outside without sunglasses, and ultraviolet (UV) radiation can exact a heavy toll: cataracts, macular degeneration and pterygium (tissue growth that blocks vision). The risk for age-related macular degeneration (AMD), which affects more than 1.75 million people in the United States, can be impacted by factors such as diet, alcohol consumption, hypertension and body mass index (BMI).

Throw cigarettes into the mix. And diabetes, currently diagnosed in more than 25 million Americans. According to the National Eye Institute (NEI), between 40 to 45 percent of this group are at some stage of diabetic retinopathy, which features troubling changes to the retina's blood vessels. Blood vessels may swell and leak fluid. In other people, abnormal new blood vessels grow on the surface of the retina.

Eye health is a classic example of buy now or pay later. In 2004, NEI estimated 5.5 million Americans age 40 or older will suffer from low vision and blindness by 2020. According to NEI, "Low vision and blindness increase significantly with age, particularly in people over age 65. People 80 years of age and older currently make up 8 percent of the population, but account for 69 percent of blindness."

Consequently, many Americans are turning to natural ingredients to help them see clearly. Carotenoids including lutein and zeaxanthin have been the go-to ingredients in eye health formulations, bolstered by strong research findings. Omega-3 essential fatty acids (EFAs) are critical to developing visual acuity in infants, and to fighting degeneration related to conditions such as retinitis pigmentosa.

Marketers would do well to examine the research and offer consumers the opportunity to pay now for formulations that can protect their eyes for a lifetime.

Learn more about these research-backed ingredients in INSIDER's Expert Series: Eye Health Science and Market Report.