Fact Check: Can drinking a mixture of carrot, tomato, onion, and orange juice every night remove cataracts without surgery?
A YouTube video claims that drinking a mixture of carrot, tomato, onion, and orange juice every night removes cataracts without the need for surgery. The claim is False.
Claim
A video uploaded on YouTube titled "DRINK FOR STRONGER VISION AND REMOVE CATARACT/How to Improve Your Eyesight Naturally at Home" claims that drinking a mixture of carrot, tomato, onion, and orange juice every night removes cataracts without the need for surgery. In the video user Nature CutChop explained and demonstrated a remedy that involves preparing and mixing the juices of carrot, tomato, onion, and orange juice and recommended drinking this juice every night to remove cataracts without the surgery.
The video can be accessed here.
Fact Check
The claim is False. Carrots, tomatoes, onions, and oranges support eye health but cannot cure cataracts. Cataracts require medical treatment, and this mixture is no substitute for professional care.
What is a Cataract?
A cataract is an eye condition where the clear lens becomes cloudy, blocking light from passing through. It develops gradually and is a major cause of blindness worldwide. Cataracts are diagnosed through careful examination with a torchlight and a slit lamp, both with and without dilated pupils. Common symptoms include blurry vision, lens cloudiness, glare, halos around lights, and sensitivity to light.
Cataracts can occur for various reasons. They may be present at birth or develop as you age. Other causes include eye injuries, excessive sunlight or radiation exposure, and health issues like diabetes, skin allergies, or muscle disorders. Smoking, heavy alcohol use, and poor nutrition can also increase the risk. Certain medications, such as steroids, and long-term eye conditions like uveitis or glaucoma can contribute to cataracts as well.
Speaking to Medical Dialogues team Dr. Manu S Kumar, Consultant Ophthalmologist(MBBS,DNB), Allen and Habour Eye Hospital, Kanjirappally talked about early signs of cataract, "Blurring of vision, seeing halos or rings around light, need for brighter light in low light conditions, fading or yellowing of colours, frequent change of glass prescription, increased sensitivity to light etc. There may be no symptoms in some early cataract patients as well."
Health Benefits of Carrot, Tomato, Onion, and Orange
Carrots (Daucus carota L.) are among the most widely cultivated root vegetables globally and serve as a key dietary source of carotenoids. While they do not contribute significantly to caloric intake, carrots are highly nutritious, offering a rich array of phytochemicals. These include carotenoids (some of which possess provitamin A activity), phenolic compounds, ascorbic acid (Vitamin C), α-tocopherol, and vitamins such as D, K, B1, B6, and biotin. Carrots are rich in provitamin A and support vision, immune health, and overall well-being. Antioxidants like lutein and zeaxanthin aid eye health, while vitamin C enhances iron absorption and immunity.
Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) is a plant from the nightshade family that can live for many years. It is one of the most popular and widely grown vegetables in the world. Tomatoes are called a "protective food" because they are very nutritious and grown everywhere. Tomatoes offer numerous health benefits, including potential anticancer properties from lycopene, fibre, vitamin C, and phenolic compounds. They may reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, hypertension, and atherosclerosis, support neuroprotection, and help manage diabetes-related oxidative stress. Additionally, tomatoes may promote skin health and protect against atopic dermatitis.
Onion (Allium cepa), a widely cultivated member of the Amaryllidaceae family, is rich in compounds like allicin, quercetin, and sulphurous elements. Its health benefits include antioxidant, antimicrobial, anticholesterolemic, and anticancer effects. Onions help protect organs like the liver, kidneys, brain, and heart by reducing inflammation, oxidative stress, and tissue damage while enhancing protein synthesis and regulating key cellular pathways.
Oranges (Citrus sinensis L.) are a widely cultivated fruit in India, known for their rich vitamin C content. They also provide sugars, carotenoids, flavonoids, essential oils, and important minerals. Research highlights their health benefits, including reducing the risk of oxidative damage and diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular issues, and neurological disorders, due to their bioactive compounds and antioxidant properties. Oranges are a nutritious and versatile addition to a healthy diet.
Can drinking a mixture of carrot, tomato, onion, and orange juice every night remove cataracts without the need for surgery?
Carrots, tomatoes, onions, and oranges offer numerous nutritional benefits, including support for vision, providing vitamins like D, K, B1, B6, and biotin, and exhibiting antioxidant, antimicrobial, and anticholesterolemic effects, along with promoting skin health. While some studies highlight the potential of individual ingredients in managing cataracts to some extent, no research has demonstrated their combined effectiveness in completely removing cataracts without surgery. Furthermore, no scientific evidence or medical consensus supports the claim that drinking a mixture of carrot, tomato, onion, and orange juice nightly can remove cataracts without surgery.
A review article in the SSRN Electronic Journal highlighted that carrots contain various bioactive compounds, particularly carotenoids (Carotenes, Lutein, and Zeaxanthin), which help in managing eye conditions such as nyctalopia, myopia, cataracts, age-related macular degeneration (AMD), and glaucoma.
A study in the journal Nature concluded that consuming certain fruits and vegetables, including legumes, tomatoes, apples, and pears, is linked to a reduced risk of cataracts.
Another study in the Journal of Physics: Conference Series concluded that silver nanoparticles derived from the skin of Allium cepa showed promising effects against cataract cells.
Yet one more study published in the World Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences suggested that the ethanol extract of orange peel possesses Anticataract activity.
All these studies highlight the individual roles of carrots, tomatoes, onions, and oranges in helping reduce the risk and effects of cataracts to a certain extent. However, no research has examined the combined impact of these four ingredients in completely eliminating cataracts. Additionally, there is no consensus within the medical community supporting the claim that drinking a mixture of carrot, tomato, onion, and orange juice every night can remove cataracts without surgery.
Dr Sukanya Meikandasivam, Consultant Ophthalmology, Gleneagles BGS Hospital Kengeri, Bengaluru, told Medical Dialogues "Drinking a mixture of tomato, onion, carrot, and orange juice will not cure cataracts. Cataracts refer to the clouding of the eye's natural crystalline lens and are typically caused by ageing, metabolic disorders, UV light exposure, or certain medications. The primary treatment for cataracts is surgical intervention. While carrots, onions, tomatoes, and oranges are rich in vitamins A, C, and E—powerful antioxidants—they may help delay the onset of cataracts by supporting overall eye health. However, there is no scientific evidence to suggest that consuming these foods can cure cataracts once they have formed."
Dr Manu S Kumar, Consultant Ophthalmologist (MBBS, DNB), Allen and Habour Eye Hospital, Kanjirappally added, "One-word answer would be no. Drinking a combination of juices daily is not going to cure cataracts. With the currently available medicines and technology, there is no way to cure cataracts and restore vision other than by surgically removing the cataractous lens and replacing it with an artifical lens."
Medical Dialogues Final Take
Carrots, tomatoes, onions, and oranges provide various health benefits and support eye health, but their combined use as a cure for cataracts lacks proven effectiveness. Cataracts typically require medical intervention, such as surgery, for complete removal. Drinking a mixture of these ingredients may be nutritious but should not replace professional medical advice or treatment for cataracts.
Hence the claim that drinking a mixture of carrot, tomato, onion, and orange juice every night removes cataracts without the need for surgery is False.
