Ingredient profile
Bilberry Extract in VisiFlora
Bilberry is a fruit, and VisiFlora lists an extract of it with no amount. It is famous for a wartime pilot story about night vision. Rigorous trials do not back that story: the four most recent randomized trials were all negative, and NCCIH says bilberry has not been clearly shown to help any health condition.
Written by the VisiFlora editorial teamUpdated
The basics
What is bilberry extract in VisiFlora?
It is an extract of the bilberry fruit, Vaccinium myrtillus. VisiFlora's sales page lists "Bilberry Extract" with no amount (Sales page, tryvisiflora.com).
Bilberry is one of the six headline ingredients on the brand graphic. Supplements usually sell it for night vision. That idea is also behind the "Military-Inspired Formula" line on the bottle.
The profile table below shows what the seller lists, next to the amounts studied and the strength of the evidence.
| Name on the sales page | Bilberry Extract |
|---|---|
| What it is | Vaccinium myrtillus fruit |
| Type | Fruit extract |
| Amount per capsule | Not published |
| Amount used in research | Extracts up to 160 mg a day were tolerated for 6 months |
| Strength of evidence | Rigorous trials: no night-vision benefit |
| Why it is in the formula | Sold for night vision |
| Main caution | Safe in food amounts. The night-vision story is not supported by rigorous trials. |
The evidence
Does bilberry improve night vision?
Not in healthy people, based on the best studies. A 2004 review of 12 placebo-controlled trials found that the 4 most recent randomized trials were all negative (Systematic review: bilberry and night vision).
| Placebo-controlled trials reviewed | 12 (Systematic review: bilberry and night vision) |
|---|---|
| Most recent randomized trials | 4, all negative (Systematic review: bilberry and night vision) |
| Review's conclusion | The idea that bilberry improves normal night vision is not supported by rigorous studies (Systematic review: bilberry and night vision) |
| People with eye disease | No rigorous research in people whose night vision is impaired by eye disease (Systematic review: bilberry and night vision) |
| NCCIH summary | Not clearly shown to help any health condition (NCCIH: bilberry) |
The newest, most careful trials are the ones that came up empty. That is why the review's verdict leans firmly against the night-vision idea.
The story
Where does the military-inspired idea come from?
It comes from a well-known story about World War II pilots and bilberry. It is a story, not evidence, and the sales page cites no study for it (Sales page, tryvisiflora.com).
World War II
A tale spreads that pilots ate bilberry to see better on night missions. No trial is attached to it.
2004
A systematic review of 12 placebo-controlled trials finds no support for better normal night vision (Systematic review: bilberry and night vision).
2024
NCCIH, part of the National Institutes of Health, says the most rigorous studies found no night-vision benefit in healthy people (NCCIH: bilberry).
2026
The VisiFlora bottle says "Military-Inspired Formula*". No study of VisiFlora is published.
A good story can make a product feel tested. Check whether a claim links to a trial before you believe it.
Safety
Is bilberry extract safe?
The fruit is considered safe in food amounts. Extracts of up to 160 mg a day for up to six months appeared to be well tolerated (NCCIH: bilberry).
Two gaps remain for VisiFlora. First, the extract amount is not published, so you cannot tell where it falls next to that 160 mg. Second, safety beyond six months has not been studied as well. Supplements can also interact with medicines, so tell your doctor and pharmacist about VisiFlora (NCCIH: using supplements wisely).
For the whole formula, see our side effects and interactions page.
Try VisiFlora for 60 days1 capsule a day with food · from $49 a bottle · free U.S. shipping on 3 or 6 bottles
Order nowNext steps
What should you do if your night vision is getting worse?
Book an eye exam rather than trying a berry extract. Worse night vision has many possible causes, and only an exam can sort them out.
- 01
Write down what changed
Note when night driving or dim rooms started to feel harder, and whether one eye or both are affected.
- 02
Book a dilated eye exam
Changes in how you see deserve a proper check. An eye doctor can look for causes a supplement cannot fix.
- 03
Bring your supplement list
Take the VisiFlora bottle and any other pills, so the doctor sees every ingredient you use.
- 04
Ask what fits your eyes
Ask whether any vitamin makes sense for you at all, and when your next exam should be.
Some eye diseases give no early warning. Glaucoma often has no symptoms at first, and about half of people with it do not know (NEI: glaucoma). If you have diabetes, plan on a dilated exam every year (NEI: diabetic retinopathy). After 65, the Academy suggests an exam every one to two years (AAO: how often adults need eye exams). Our eye health guide has the full schedule.
Dose check
How much bilberry is in VisiFlora?
The seller does not publish it. Only zinc, at 11 mg, has a stated amount, as a brand-issued advertorial also confirms (Brand advertorial, ACCESS Newswire).
The sales page also says nothing about how this extract is made. When your bottle arrives, read the Supplement Facts panel and keep a photo of it. You can compare it with every other ingredient on the label page.
Keep exploring
What else is in the VisiFlora formula?
Browse the other ingredient groups, from grape seed to the vitamins and minerals.
FAQ
Bilberry questions
Does bilberry really help you see in the dark?
No, not in healthy people. The four most recent randomized trials in a 2004 review were all negative, and the authors said rigorous studies do not support the night-vision idea (Systematic review: bilberry and night vision). NCCIH reaches the same view (NCCIH: bilberry). A wartime story is not a trial.
How much bilberry extract is in VisiFlora?
The amount is not published. The sales page lists bilberry extract without a number, and zinc is the only ingredient with a stated amount (Brand advertorial, ACCESS Newswire). Studies found extracts up to 160 mg a day were tolerated for six months (NCCIH: bilberry), but you cannot compare VisiFlora with that.
Is the World War II pilot bilberry story true?
It has never been backed by a rigorous trial. It is a popular story, and the sales page cites no study for it (Sales page, tryvisiflora.com). When researchers tested bilberry with placebo-controlled trials, the newest and strongest ones found no night-vision benefit (Systematic review: bilberry and night vision).
Has bilberry been tested in people with eye disease?
Not in a rigorous way for night vision. The 2004 review found no rigorous research in people whose night vision was impaired by eye disease (Systematic review: bilberry and night vision). NCCIH says bilberry has not been clearly shown to help any health condition (NCCIH: bilberry).
Is bilberry safe to take long term?
It looks safe for up to six months at extract doses up to 160 mg a day (NCCIH: bilberry). Longer use is less studied. The bilberry fruit is considered safe in food amounts. Tell your doctor about any supplement you take, including VisiFlora (NCCIH: using supplements wisely).
Why does VisiFlora call itself military-inspired?
The bottle says "Military-Inspired Formula*" but the sales page cites no study behind it (Sales page, tryvisiflora.com). The phrase points to the wartime bilberry story about pilots. Rigorous trials later found no night-vision benefit from bilberry in healthy people (Systematic review: bilberry and night vision). No study of VisiFlora itself is published.
Should I see an eye doctor about poor night vision?
Yes. A dilated eye exam is the single best step you can take for your eyes, according to NEI (NEI: everyday ways to keep eyes healthy). Some eye diseases, like glaucoma, have no early symptoms (NEI: glaucoma). A berry extract cannot tell you what is causing the change.
Who wrote this
Written and reviewed by
Plain-language pages built from what the seller publishes and from linked eye-health sources.
Last updated . Read our editorial standards and how we check reviews. This website is run by a USA authorized VisiFlora retailer, not by the manufacturer. We earn money when you buy through our order links.
Keep reading
More about VisiFlora
Bilberry and night vision
Where the bilberry night-vision idea came from, what 12 trials found, and what to do if seeing at night gets harder.
Read more
Claims, checked
Every VisiFlora claim beside the research: what is shown, what is early, and what is just marketing.
Read more
Eye health guide
Exams by age, urgent warning signs, AREDS2, foods and screen habits: the eye care steps with the strongest evidence.
Read moreUSA authorized VisiFlora retailer
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