Direct answer: Bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus) is a dark European berry rich in anthocyanin pigments. It has a long association with night-vision stories and eye supplements, but rigorous studies have not shown that bilberry improves normal night vision, and bilberry has no authorised eye-health claim in Great Britain.
Commercial disclosure: The Health Improvers sells Better Eyes Complex, which contains bilberry fruit extract. This guide separates the historical story, the research and the product-label facts.
Bilberry at a glance
| Question | Short answer |
|---|---|
| What species is bilberry? | Vaccinium myrtillus |
| Is it the same as blueberry? | No. They are related but different species, with different fruit characteristics and composition. |
| What are anthocyanins? | Plant pigments responsible for much of bilberry's deep blue-purple colour. |
| Did RAF pilots prove it improves night vision? | No. The wartime account is an often-repeated story, not clinical proof. |
| Does it have an authorised GB eye claim? | No. |
What is bilberry?
Bilberry is a small, dark berry native to parts of northern Europe and related regions. Its scientific name is Vaccinium myrtillus. It is related to the cultivated blueberry but should not be treated as the same ingredient.
Bilberry fruit contains anthocyanins, a group of red, blue and purple plant pigments. Supplements may use dried fruit, a fruit extract, a starting-material equivalent or an extract standardised to a stated percentage of anthocyanins. Those descriptions are not interchangeable.
The RAF night-vision story: what is actually known?
The familiar story says British pilots ate bilberry jam during the Second World War to improve night vision. The US National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health describes the account as possibly superstition or a deliberate story to conceal radar improvements. That means it should be presented as an anecdote with uncertain origins, not as evidence that bilberry works.
The story encouraged research, but repetition has made it sound more certain than the historical record supports.
What does the evidence say about bilberry and night vision?
A systematic review of placebo-controlled trials concluded that rigorous studies did not support improved night vision in healthy people. NCCIH likewise says studies have produced conflicting results, much of the research was poor quality, and the most rigorous studies did not find an improvement in normal night vision.
This does not prove that every possible bilberry preparation has no effect in every population. It does mean a seller should not turn limited or mixed research into a confident promise—especially when extract composition, dose and study methods vary.
How to compare bilberry on supplement labels
- Confirm the plant: look for Vaccinium myrtillus, not only a generic berry name.
- Check the plant part: fruit and leaf are different materials.
- Identify the figure: is it the extract weight, the original-fruit equivalent or both?
- Look for standardisation: if anthocyanins are highlighted, check whether their amount or percentage is actually declared.
- Use the daily serving: compare what the recommended intake supplies, not only one capsule.
- Read the warnings: herbs may not be suitable for everyone or with every medicine.
Extract weight and fruit equivalent are not the same
A concentrated extract can be described by the amount of extract used and by the quantity of starting fruit from which it was produced. A label stating “equivalent to 550mg bilberry fruit” is not necessarily saying the capsule contains 550mg of dry extract. Ask which number you are comparing.
Similarly, a large starting-material equivalent does not by itself establish the amount of anthocyanins. A standardised active-constituent figure provides a different kind of information.
Why does pine bark appear beside bilberry?
Pine bark extracts contain proanthocyanidins, another group of plant polyphenols. They are often combined with bilberry in botanical formulas. Pine bark has no authorised GB eye-health claim either, so its name and composition should not be turned into a promise about eyesight.
What claims are allowed in Great Britain?
Bilberry does not have an authorised GB eye-health claim. Food supplements also cannot claim or imply that they prevent, treat or cure an eye condition. Sellers may identify bilberry, explain how their extract is declared and link to balanced evidence, but commercial copy must not promise a medicinal outcome.
If a multi-ingredient eye formula lawfully states that it contributes to the maintenance of normal vision, the claim may come from a qualifying nutrient such as zinc rather than from bilberry.
Better Eyes Complex as a label example
Each capsule of Better Eyes Complex declares bilberry fruit extract equivalent to 550mg bilberry fruit. It also declares pine bark extract equivalent to 1,250mg pine bark and providing 79mg proanthocyanidins.
Those figures describe composition. They do not create an authorised eye-health claim for either botanical. The formula's authorised normal-vision wording comes from 5mg zinc per capsule, equal to 50% NRV.
Frequently asked questions
Is bilberry the same as blueberry?
No. Both belong to the Vaccinium genus, but bilberry is Vaccinium myrtillus and common cultivated blueberries are other species. Check the Latin name on a supplement label.
Does bilberry improve night vision?
Rigorous studies have not shown an improvement in normal night vision. The evidence is mixed and limited, and there is no authorised GB claim for that outcome.
What does “equivalent to 550mg bilberry fruit” mean?
It is a starting-material equivalent: the extract was produced from an amount of fruit equivalent to 550mg. It is not necessarily the physical weight of extract in the capsule.
Is a standardised bilberry extract always better?
Standardisation tells you that a specified constituent is controlled to a stated level, which improves label transparency. It does not by itself prove a particular health outcome.
How this guide was checked
We checked the current Better Eyes label information on 3 August 2026. Evidence statements were checked against NCCIH and a systematic review indexed by PubMed. Claim wording was checked against current GOV.UK guidance and the GB Nutrition and Health Claims Register.
Sources
- US National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health: bilberry
- PubMed: systematic review of bilberry for night vision
- Department of Health and Social Care: GB Nutrition and Health Claims Register
- GOV.UK: nutrition, health claims and supplement labelling
Next, read our lutein and zeaxanthin guide or the UK eye-supplement comparison guide.
Always read the label and follow the directions. Food supplements are not a substitute for a varied and balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle. This article is general information, not medical advice. If you take medicines, are pregnant or breastfeeding, ask an appropriate healthcare professional before using a supplement.
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