Some foods are noted to be “great for vision” – for example, carrots, mangos, etc.
What does “great for vision” even mean? I wear glasses and am under the assumption that my poor eyesight isn’t going to magically slightly improve by downing foods rich in certain vitamins and minerals.
In: Biology
A lot of eye problems are structural, as in the shape of a part is wrong. Proper nutrition and vitamins can help the organ function it’s best, but they won’t fix the eye’s shape.
Think of how proper nutrition and care can keep skin smooth and healthy and elastic, but no amount of vitamins will fix a patch getting cut off
It’s more the other way around. A lack of vitamin A can lead to worse eyesight (especially at night)
Carrots being good for your eyesight was part of a [WWII misinformation campaign.](https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/are-carrots-good-for-your-eyes#carrots-and-eye-health) When the British first started using radar to shoot down enemy planes, they didn’t want the technology to be widely known, so they said their pilots simply had better night vision from eating carrots.
> Some foods are noted to be “great for vision” – for example, carrots,
That is an interesting food myth right there. During World War 2 a new technology for detecting aircraft through the use of reflected radio waves was developed, called “radar” short for “radio detecting and ranging”. This radar technology allowed the British to detect incoming bombers enough in advance for fighter interceptors to take off and be waiting for them, and later even to allow bombers to be located at night to be shot down. The technology was kept extremely secret though so a cover story was invented for why the British pilots were somehow so adept at spotting unlit bombers in the pitch black of the night sky.
One such cover story was that the British pilots were having their night vision augmented by eating large quantities of carrots. This lie became part of “common knowledge” and so even today you hear people saying that carrots are particularly good for vision!
Not having enough vitamin A can in fact result in deterioration of vision, but having an excess of vitamin A isn’t going to give you super-vision. Mango like carrots has a lot of vitamin A, but as explained above the idea that normal vision can be improved by consuming them is the fallout of World War 2 propaganda.
We have found that a lack of vitamin A can cause your eyesight to get worse. The yellow/orange color of carrots and mango is caused by vitamin A or its precursors. Although a lot of different food contain enough vitamin A to prevent vitamin A deficiency. So carrots do not improve vision.
The myth were created intentionally by the British air forces at the start of WWII. They had developed radar which allowed their fighters to be deployed directly to intercept incoming German bombers. In an effort to hide this new technology from the Germans they claimed that British pilots had much superior vision to the Germans and could spot the enemy airplanes at a much further distance. This is why the Germans always saw the British airplanes coming directly at them rather then in the process of turning in towards them. The British claimed the good eye sight were from eating carrots. They were serving carrots in the canteen whenever they had visitors and launched a campaign to encourage kids to eat carrots. All in an effort to fool the Germans.
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