Are carrots really good for eyesight? While eye doctors affirm that carrots contain significant quantities of a vitamin which is known to be beneficial for the eyes, carrots can not replace proper corrective eye care.
Beta-carotene is an orange colored pigment (carotenoid) that changes into vitamin A once digested in the body. Vitamin A strengthens the surface of the eye (cornea) and has been shown to prevent various eye diseases such as corneal ulcers. Vitamin A, an antioxidant compound, protects the surface of the eye to decrease the risk of ocular infections and other infectious illnesses. Vitamin A is also known to be a successful solution for dry eyes as well as other eye conditions. A deficiency of this important vitamin (which is be more likely in underdeveloped countries) often causes night blindness, corneal ulcers and retinal damage which can lead to total blindness.
There are two variations of vitamin A, which depend upon the nutritional source from which they come. Vitamin A derived from an animal is called Retinol and can be obtained from foods such as beef, chicken liver, whole milk or cheese. Vitamin A that is derived from fruits and vegetables comes in the form of ''provitamin A'' carotenoids, which convert to retinol after the nutrients are absorbed. In addition to carrots, carotenoids are ingested when eating colorful fruits and vegetables such as oranges, sweet potatoes, spinach, kale and cantaloupes.
There is no doubt that through most forms, vitamin A is beneficial to your eyes and your total well being. Even though carrots themselves can't correct optical distortion which causes vision impairments, grandma was right when she said ''eat your vegetables.''