Eating carrots improves your vision

Question

I have heard this claim before numerous times especially from people who wear glasses as they try to promote this quote towards younger individuals. so, i thought i would do a little bit of research on this as i don't believe this is true coming from a long line of people who do wear glasses in my family and do eat lots of carrots and other veggies yet still have horrible vision. i do believe that carrots can be a benefit to helping people's vision as I'm sure there is lots of nutrients and vitamins in carrots that people refer to with this claim but i would strongly argue that it keeps you from wearing glasses or makes you have the best vision in the world. But i could be entirely incorrect maybe carrots do improve your vision tremendously i mean there has to be a reason why people have been saying this for so long or continue to promote carrots if you have bad vision

I found 2 articles that spiked my interest and possibly proved my own theory wrong provided below are two articles the first one is produced by SCIAM in 2014 where an article focused on health produced facts on how eating carrots can not only help improve vision but it can also improve your night vision which i found super interesting. as carrots provide great source of vitamin's. this article also goes into detail about how many carrots you should eat a week, cooked or uncooked they also talk about a study they did on pregnant woman and how if eating carrots helped improve their vision as well or if it didn't change at all or if it did something special but unfortunately it just performed the same.

The second article i found is a bit shorter but this article i liked a bit more as it seemed more modest and more realistic as to what i was expecting for an answer this article is associated with duke health company which is associated with united health care which is a super well known and reliable establishment this article dives into simply how yes carrots can improve your vision but that doesn't mean it gives you super powers that you should add carrots in your diet regardless of vision needs as it's a great source of vitamin's for your diet but theirs other ways to improve your vision as well such as going to the eye doctor frequently and wearing protective eye gear etc.

Comments

You raise some great points about the carrot myth, and I love that you took the time to dig deeper into the subject. One aspect I would question is how the sources you mention lean on the statement you made of the role of carrots in vision health. While both the Scientific American and Duke Health articles recognize that carrots can support overall eye health due to their vitamin A content, they also clarify that eating carrots won’t dramatically improve poor vision or reverse conditions like nearsightedness.

Answer 1

I have also heard this claim many times before too but have never looked into it. After looking at an article by the "Gailey Eye Clinic", I learned that while carrots obviously cant give a blind person perfect vision, they can help promote overall eye health. Carrots contain beta-carotene, converted to vitamin A, which is an important nutrient for eye health

Comments

I am sure that Gailey Eye Clinic is probably a reputable source as it is a vision care practice and needs to have certifications and licenses to operate. Were there any other sources that also back up this claim? I would think that there are studies out there that the Eye Clinic you mentioned is citing when they talk about how carrots can help your vision.

Answer 2

The idea that eating carrots can greatly improve vision is mostly a myth. Carrots do contain beta-carotene, which the body turns into vitamin A. This vitamin is crucial for eye health and helps prevent night blindness by supporting the retina. However, while carrots help keep eyes healthy, they won’t dramatically improve vision or fix eyesight problems like nearsightedness.

This belief began as World War II propaganda when the British claimed their pilots' excellent night vision was due to eating carrots to cover up radar use. Including carrots in your diet is beneficial, but for maintaining good vision, it's more important to eat a balanced diet and have regular eye check-ups.

https://www.zennioptical.com/blog/unveiling-the-truth-are-carrots-really-the-key-to-eye-health/

Answer 3

Fact checking the claim “eating carrots improves your vision” I have found this claim to be true. Your claim is supported by an article produced by SCIAM. To factcheck, I went to this article and found it to comprehensively explain the benefits of eating carrots. Vitamin A, of which carrots are rich in, is essential in converting light into brain signals. Furthermore, this helps people to see in low light conditions. Thus, eating carrots can help improve night vision. I trust the source (The Scientific American) because it is a scientific, knowledge-based news source that is “committed to sharing trustworthy knowledge, enhancing our understanding of the world, and advancing social justice” (https://www.scientificamerican.com/page/about-scientific-american) 

You also quote a Duke article, and upon going to the Duke Health website, and found that they too confirm eating carrots can help eyesight through its Vitamin A. This article quotes Dr. Jill Koury- and upon researching I found her to be trustable. Healthgrades.com informed me that she has over 42 years in the medical field and is a certified ophthalmologist. Unfamiliar with the term, I found out an ophthalmologist is an eye care specialist. 

To confirm all of this, I found another source that corroborates the claim. Gailey Eye Clinic- an eye clinic specializing in LASIK, cataract surgery, and glaucoma- confirms “the vitamins found in the vegetable can help promote overall eye health”. Thus, though carrots may not be able to cure the blind, they are indeed good for your vision. 

Comments

You make a good point about carrots supporting eye health, but I think it's important to note that eating them won't drastically improve vision for people who already get enough vitamin A! Great job fact checking.

Answer 4

The claim that eating carrots can dramatically improve eyesight, especially night vision, is misleading. Carrots are a great source of beta-carotene, which the body converts into vitamin A, a nutrient for eye health. However, this doesn’t mean they will give you superhuman vision or prevent you from needing glasses. According to the Military Health System, eating carrots can help those who are vitamin A deficient, improving their vision in cases of night blindness. However, for people with fine vitamin A intake, the benefits are small. Duke Health also explains that even though carrots support overall eye health, they don’t drastically improve vision or prevent conditions. So, while carrots are a good addition to any diet, they won’t magically enhance your eyesight or stop the need for glasses.

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/fact-or-fiction-carrots-improve-your-vision/

https://www.dukehealth.org/blog/myth-or-fact-eating-carrots-improves-eyesight

https://health.mil/News/Articles/2022/03/04/Its-True-Carrots-and-Other-Vegetables-Can-Help-You-See-in-the-Dark