Bilberry: what it may do for your eyes and what it won't
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- Standardized bilberry fruit extract. Best for: Adults curious about bilberry for screen-related eye strain. See options on Amazon
- Bilberry complex with eye nutrients. Best for: People who want bilberry with beta-carotene and riboflavin. See options on Amazon
- Dried bilberries for food. Best for: People who prefer the fruit itself. See options on Amazon
What bilberry is
The bilberry bush, also called European bilberry, whortleberry or huckleberry, grows in northern Europe, the northern United States and Canada. The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) says its dark berries resemble blueberries, and both the berries and leaves have been used as medicine for vision, blood sugar and circulation.
Bilberries contain anthocyanins, anthocyanosides, tannins and flavonoids, which NCCIH says may be of interest for further research.
The night vision story
NCCIH recounts a report that British pilots ate bilberry jam during World War II, believing it improved their night vision. This may have been superstition, or a deliberate hoax to hide advances in radar, but it prompted research on bilberry and night vision.
That research has had conflicting results, and much of it was poor quality. NCCIH says the most rigorous studies have not found bilberry effective for improving night vision in healthy people.
What the research shows
| Use | What the evidence says |
|---|---|
| Night vision | No benefit in the most rigorous studies |
| Eye focusing strain after screen work | Improved in one 12-week trial of 109 adults |
| Cholesterol | No effect of bilberry anthocyanins in a 28-day trial |
| Any health condition overall | Not clearly shown to help (NCCIH) |
Overall. NCCIH says many bilberry studies did not use rigorous methods or enough participants for definite conclusions.
Screen-related eye strain. A 2020 randomized trial in Nutrients gave 109 healthy adults aged 20 to 60 either 240 mg of a standardized bilberry extract or placebo daily for 12 weeks. The bilberry group had better measures of ciliary muscle tension (the focusing muscle) after screen and near-vision tasks at weeks 8 and 12.
Cholesterol. In a 2022 crossover trial, 52 adults with high cholesterol took 320 mg of bilberry anthocyanins, black rice anthocyanins or placebo daily for 28 days. Neither anthocyanin changed LDL cholesterol or other heart or blood sugar markers, though the authors noted the short duration.
Safety
- Fruit. NCCIH says bilberry fruit is safe in food amounts, and fruit extracts have been used safely in studies at up to 160 mg a day for up to 6 months.
- Leaves. Bilberry leaves may be unsafe in high doses or over long periods. Some liquid extracts are made from leaves, so check the plant part.
- Medicines. Talk with your provider before using bilberry if you take any medicine.
- Pregnancy and breastfeeding. Little is known about amounts above food levels.
Reading a bilberry label
- Fruit extract. Look for Vaccinium myrtillus fruit, not leaf, for supplements.
- Anthocyanin content. Standardized extracts list a percentage of anthocyanins or anthocyanidins. NOW Foods' Bilberry Complex gives 80 mg of fruit extract with at least 25% anthocyanidins per capsule.
- Combination products. That NOW Foods complex also contains beta-carotene (3,000 mcg vitamin A), riboflavin, carrot powder and citrus bioflavonoids, with directions of 1 capsule 2 to 3 times daily with food. Count the vitamin A if you take other supplements.
- High-dose and ratio products. Some softgels advertise 1,000 mg, well above the 160 mg a day NCCIH describes as studied for safety.
- Eye blends. Many vision formulas combine bilberry with lutein and zeaxanthin; see our lutein guide.
Eye symptoms need an eye exam
NCCIH found no reliable evidence that bilberry treats eye conditions. If you have night vision trouble, blurry vision or ongoing eye strain, see an eye doctor rather than relying on bilberry, and tell them about any supplements you take.
What to look for when you buy
Standardized bilberry fruit extract
Best for: Adults curious about bilberry for screen-related eye strain
Standardized fruit extracts list anthocyanin content; the 12-week eye strain trial used 240 mg of a standardized extract daily.
Watch out: Not proven for night vision. Choose fruit, not leaf, and follow the label.
See options on AmazonBilberry complex with eye nutrients
Best for: People who want bilberry with beta-carotene and riboflavin
NOW Foods lists 80 mg of bilberry extract plus beta-carotene, riboflavin and citrus bioflavonoids per capsule.
Watch out: Count total vitamin A from all supplements. Ask your provider if pregnant.
See options on AmazonDried bilberries for food
Best for: People who prefer the fruit itself
NCCIH considers bilberry fruit safe in food amounts.
Watch out: Food amounts are not the same as studied extract doses.
See options on AmazonQuestions people ask
- Does bilberry improve night vision?
- No. The most rigorous studies did not find bilberry improves night vision in healthy people.
- What is bilberry good for?
- NCCIH says it has not been clearly shown to help any condition. One trial found it eased eye focusing strain after screen work.
- Is bilberry the same as blueberry?
- They are related, and bilberries resemble blueberries, but bilberry is Vaccinium myrtillus, a separate species.
- Is bilberry safe?
- Fruit extracts were safe up to 160 mg a day for 6 months in studies. Leaves may be unsafe in high doses or long use.
- How much bilberry should I take?
- Follow the label. The eye strain trial used 240 mg of a standardized extract daily.
Sources
- Bilberry: Usefulness and Safety (nccih.nih.gov), National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health
- A 12-Week-Long Intake of Bilberry Extract (Vaccinium myrtillus L.) Improved Objective Findings of Ciliary Muscle Contraction of the Eye (pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov), Nutrients (PMC7146147)
- No Effect of Isolated Anthocyanins from Bilberry Fruit and Black Rice on LDL Cholesterol or other Biomarkers of Cardiovascular Disease in Adults with Elevated Cholesterol (pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov), Molecular Nutrition and Food Research (PMC9788215)
- Bilberry Complex Veg Capsules (www.nowfoods.com/products/supplements/bilberry-complex-veg-capsules), NOW Foods