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Anthocyanosides of Vaccinium myrtillus (bilberry) for night vision—A systematic review of placebo-controlled trials

2004; Elsevier BV; Volume: 49; Issue: 6 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1016/j.survophthal.2004.08.009

1879-3304

Peter H Canter, Edzard Ernst,

Circadian rhythm and melatonin

I read the bilberry article in the January–February 2004 issue of Survey of Ophthalmology “Anthocyanosides of Vaccinium myrtillus (bilberry) for night vision—a systematic review of placebo-controlled trials” (Surv Ophthalmol 49:38–50, 2004). I remember a wonderful alternative explanation for how all this got started (i.e., that bilberry improves night vision). According to the alternative explanation, the increasing success and accuracy of the R.A.F pilots as the tide of war changed was actually a measure of their further development of radar, and the bilberry story was put out as a bit of disinformation to mislead the German powers. This may be nonsense, but I love telling my patients that story when they ask about bilberry—and it certainly sounds from the Survey article that I am not doing them any disservice if they take my explanation as a discouraging hint regarding what fruit spread they apply to their toast each morning.