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Carrots are rich in beta-carotene, which converts to vitamin A and plays an important role in maintaining healthy vision. However, there is no concrete evidence that eating carrots will improve vision. Consuming carrots can help maintain vision clarity at night, but will not necessarily improve vision.
For decades, parents around the world have been encouraging kids to eat their carrots for healthy vision. If it were only that easy. If carrots could be to human eyes what spinach is to Popeye’s muscles, blindness would not exist and we would only wear glasses for cosmetic purposes. While there is some evidence to suggest that eating carrots may help maintain current vision, there is no concrete evidence that eating carrots will improve vision.
Parents of the most demanding palates must not lose heart; carrots are rich in beta-carotene (a pro-vitamin) which converts to vitamin A. In terms of vision, vitamin A plays an important role in maintaining healthy vision. When the body is deprived of vitamin A there are risks of impaired vision and xerophthalmia – drying of the cornea. Blindness due to vitamin A deficiency occurs rarely in the United States, however, it is a problem seen in children in developing countries.
With too much vitamin A there is some risk of toxic death, but carotenemia, a condition that turns the skin orange or yellow, is more likely to occur. Either way, a healthy balance of vitamin A can be achieved by increasing or decreasing the amount of carrots in your diet.
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) recommends a daily intake of 1,300 micrograms of vitamin A. That means eating one medium-sized carrot will give you more than 400 percent of your recommended daily intake. Since vitamin A is found in many other foods such as milk, eggs and liver, it is generally not necessary to eat carrots on a daily basis. (Nor is the apple, but that’s another topic).
A number of claims state that eating carrots will also improve your vision at night. This is also a statement that deserves some reservations. The origin of consuming carrots to improve vision in the dark may come from studies showing that once a carrot is consumed, vitamin A is transformed in the retina of the eye into rhodopsin, a purple pigment needed for night vision. Another source of misinformation may come from the risks associated with blindness, as difficulties with night vision are usually the first signs of a vitamin A deficiency. As with daytime vision, consuming carrots can help maintain vision. clarity at night, but will not necessarily improve vision.
Interestingly, scientists have found that certain amounts of chlorophyll derivatives, found in leafy green vegetables, can improve the eyes’ sensitivity to red light, which improves night vision. But don’t bet on spinach and nighttime safety just yet. A safer bet would be on improved lighting; better than that is good medical care.
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