Carrots Alone Won't Improve Eyesight

Misbar discovered that the British Air Force credited carrot consumption as the secret behind the superb night vision that was required for pilots to gun down German aircraft during World War II according to Scientific American. Decades later it was discovered that the British Royal Air Force pushed that message as a cover-up for the radar technology they were secretly relying on for their nighttime skirmishes. 

As a result, the truth about the power of carrots related to vision improvement has been stretched over the years. The reality is that while carrots, which are high in vitamin A, are good for your eyes, they do not improve your vision according to the Smithsonian Magazine. 

Registered Dietitian Denise Webb explains it this way: “Carrots are rich in beta carotene, which the body converts to a form of vitamin A called retinal, a key molecule involved in maintaining normal vision. But unless you are deficient in vitamin A, as from a poor diet, malabsorption problems, or alcoholism, for example, beta carotene (vitamin A) won’t make bad vision better.” According to Dr. Webb, most Americans get enough beta carotene and vitamin A in their diets, though in some developing countries, vision loss due to a lack of these nutrients is much more common.

However, there is some research that supports taking vitamin A supplements (in combination with other supplements) as a way to slow vision loss due to macular degeneration, the leading cause of blindness in people over the age of 55 according to the National Eye Institute. 

Overall, while carrots and associated vitamin A are important to a healthy diet, unless you are deficient in vitamin A or are living with macular degeneration, carrots will not improve your eyesight.