Bilberry is a fruit similar to the blueberry, both in appearance and taste. The fruit contains antioxidants and other substances that might help with certain health conditions, such as eye conditions that can result in poor vision. This supplement alone might not fully protect your eyes, but knowing the conditions that bilberry might help, or even prevent, should encourage you to speak with your doctor about using bilberry supplements for eye health.
Night Vision
World War II British pilots in the Royal Air Force say they noticed a marked improvement in their ability to see at night after eating bilberry jam. Studies have not confirmed the pilots' observations, but some people consume bilberries or take supplements hoping the fruit might benefit night vision. People with poor night vision can have difficulty driving at night or reading in poorly lit areas.
Eye Conditions
The antioxidants in bilberry might help prevent eye conditions that can lead to vision loss. Macular degeneration is one such condition, which occurs when you have damage to the macula, part of the retina in the back of your eye. This condition damages your straight-ahead vision, and the vision loss is typically permanent.
Bilberry also might help prevent cataracts, which result when proteins break down in the lens inside your eye, located just behind your iris. The lens turns cloudy over time and results in blurred vision and glare problems. Cataract surgery, which removes the cloudy lens, will usually restore vision.
Disease Study
In a study published in 2005, researchers evaluated the effects of bilberry in preventing macular degeneration and cataract growth. The researchers used rats and determined that bilberry supplements could, in fact, have some benefit in preventing these conditions.
Dosage
If your doctor determines bilberry might help your eyes, he will inform you as to the dosage appropriate for you. The average dose for eye conditions ranges from 80 mg up to 480 mg each day, divided into two or three doses.
Considerations
Discuss your eye conditions or risk factors for the condition with your doctor, who can help you determine the best treatment approach. She will evaluate your overall health and review the medications and other supplements you might be taking. If you have a blood disorder and/or you take a blood-thinning medication, your doctor might not recommend bilberry, which increases your chances for abnormal bleeding. Bilberry might also interfere with medications that help regulate your blood glucose levels.
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