The Truth About Vitamin A

Hannah Nunn
Aug 20
3 min read

If you’re relying on vegetables alone for your vitamin A—you may not be getting what your eyes need

When it comes to vision and nutrition, vitamin A often gets mentioned—and rightly so.

It plays a key role in night vision, tear production, immunity, and retinal health.

But there’s a lot of confusion out there, especially when it comes to where vitamin A actually comes from—and whether carrots really live up to the hype.

Let’s clear it up.

Not All “Vitamin A” Is Created Equal

There are two main forms of vitamin A in the diet:

Preformed vitamin A (retinol or retinyl esters)
Beta-carotene and other carotenoids, which must be converted into vitamin A in the body

Preformed vitamin A is the form your body can use immediately.

It’s found only in animal foods like liver, eggs, full-fat dairy, oily fish, and cod liver oil.

Beta-carotene, on the other hand, is a plant pigment (the orange in carrots and sweet potatoes). It must be converted into usable vitamin A—and that process is often inefficient, especially in people with inflammation, blood sugar imbalance, digestive issues, or certain genetic factors (like BCMO1 mutations).

So… Carrots Don’t Actually Contain Vitamin A?

Correct.

Carrots and sweet potatoes do not contain any usable vitamin A. They contain beta-carotene, which your body can convert—but only in small amounts and under ideal conditions.

If your body is under stress, inflamed, or struggling with blood sugar, you might not be converting beta-carotene well at all. That means even if you’re eating a mountain of vegetables, you could still be low in vitamin A.

Why Vitamin A Matters for Eye Health

Vitamin A is essential for:

Night vision (it’s needed to convert light into signals in the retina)
Tear production (to prevent dry, irritated eyes)
Maintaining the health of the retina and cornea
Immune function and cell repair

One of the first signs of vitamin A insufficiency is difficulty seeing in low light (night blindness), or dry, gritty, or red eyes. Longer-term deficiency may contribute to damage in retinal tissues.

Who’s at Risk of Low Vitamin A?

People on low-fat diets (vitamin A is fat-soluble and needs fat to be absorbed)
Anyone avoiding animal products (vegans and some vegetarians)
People with gut issues, liver problems, or poor digestion
Those with inflammation or blood sugar imbalance

Best Food Sources of Preformed Vitamin A

I always recommend real food first—so to support your eyes, aim to include small amounts of these foods regularly:

Liver (beef, lamb, chicken)—a little goes a long way
Egg yolks
Oily fish (like sardines, mackerel, salmon)
Full-fat dairy (if tolerated)
Extra virgin cod liver oil (bonus: vitamin D and omega-3)

And remember: because vitamin A is fat-soluble, it’s best absorbed with healthy fat—so pair those veggies with butter, olive oil, or avocado.

What If You Have Stargardt Disease or Another Form of Macular Degeneration?

If you’ve been told to avoid vitamin A due to a condition like Stargardt disease, here’s what you need to know:

The concern is usually around high-dose synthetic vitamin A, not real food sources.

You still need adequate levels of vitamin A for immune function, vision, and tissue repair. It’s about avoiding megadoses—not cutting out all animal foods. Most people with Stargardt disease can still enjoy whole food sources of vitamin A—like eggs, fish, and dairy—as part of a balanced diet. If you’re unsure, speak to a practitioner with experience in retinal nutrition.

A Final Thought

Carrots are great—but they’re not giving you the vitamin A your eyes truly rely on.

If you’ve been eating a low-fat or plant-based diet, or your night vision isn’t what it used to be, it might be time to take a closer look at your vitamin A intake.