Vision depends on the delivery of vitamin A (retinol) to the retina. Retinol in blood is bound to retinol‐binding protein (RBP). Retinal pigment epithelia (RPE) cells express the RBP receptor, STRA6, that facilitates uptake of retinol. The retinol is then converted to retinyl esters by the enzyme lecithin:retinol acyltransferase. The esters are the substrate for RPE65, an enzyme that produces 11‐cis retinol, which is converted to 11‐cis retinaldehyde for transport to the photoreceptors to form rhodopsin. The dietary xanthophylls, lutein (LUT) and zeaxanthin (ZEA), accumulate in the macula of the eye, providing protection against age‐related macular degeneration. To reach the macula, carotenoids cross the RPE. In blood, xanthophylls and β‐carotene mostly associate with high‐density lipoprotein (HDL) and low‐density lipoprotein (LDL), respectively. Studies using a human RPE cell model evaluate the kinetics of cell uptake when carotenoids are delivered in LDL or HDL. For LUT and β‐carotene, LDL delivery result in the highest rate of uptake. HDL is more effective in delivering ZEA (and meso‐ZEA). This selective HDL‐mediated uptake of ZEA, via a scavenger receptor and LDL‐mediated uptake of LUT and β‐carotene provides a mechanism for the selective accumulation of ZEA > LUT and xanthophylls over β‐carotene in the macula. Lutein (LUT) is delivered in low‐density lipoprotein (LDL) via the LDL receptor, which binds apolipoprotein B. Zeaxanthin is delivered in high‐density lipoprotein via scavenger receptor B1 that binds apolipoprotein A1. They bind to xanthophyll‐binding proteins. LUT is converted to meso‐zeaxanthin by the enzyme RPE65. The xanthophylls move to the interphotoreceptor matrix (IPM). Retinal pigment epithelium can assemble and secrete apoB lipoproteins into the blood.