Do Carrots improve your vision?

Do carrots improve your vision? It’s something many of us have been told since childhood – eat your carrots and you’ll be able to see better in the dark. But how much truth is there behind this well-known saying?

Are carrots good for your eyes?

Yes, carrots are good for your eye health, but they won’t magically improve your eyesight or remove your need for glasses.

Carrots are rich in beta-carotene, which the body converts into vitamin A. According to the NHS, vitamin A has several important functions, including helping us to see in dim light.

Vitamin A deficiency can affect the eyes and may lead to problems including night blindness, where it becomes difficult to see in low-light conditions. However, most people in the UK should be able to obtain the vitamin A they need through a healthy, balanced diet.

Will eating more carrots improve your eyesight?

If you’re already getting enough vitamin A, eating lots of extra carrots won’t suddenly give you sharper vision. RNIB advises that while carrots are a useful source of vitamin A, eating a balanced diet containing a variety of fruit and vegetables is more important for maintaining healthy eyes.

Carrots are certainly worth keeping on the menu, but other foods can contribute to a healthy diet too, including leafy green vegetables, eggs and oily fish.

And what about the famous claim that carrots help you see in the dark? The story was popularised during the Second World War, when Britain promoted the idea that RAF pilots’ exceptional night vision was down to eating carrots. The reality was rather more complicated!

Look after your eyes with Conways Opticians

Good nutrition can help support healthy eyes, but it’s only one part of looking after your vision. Regular eye examinations can identify changes in your eyesight and detect signs of certain eye conditions.

At Conways Opticians, we’re here to help you look after your vision and keep your eyes healthy.

We also offer advanced eye examinations for all our private including an OCT or an OPTOMAP scanning for an extra look inside your eyes. 

Sources:

NHS – Vitamins and minerals: Vitamin A
RNIB – Top tips for keeping your eyes healthy
GOV.UK – Vitamin A deficiency: migrant health guide
Scientific American – Fact or Fiction?: Carrots Improve Your Vision