FALSE: Drinking calamansi juice with water can make your eyesight better

At a glance

• Claim: Drinking calamansi juice with water can make your eyesight better.
• Rating: FALSE
• The facts: There are no studies that prove that daily intake of calamansi juice can improve eyesight. 
• Why we fact-checked this: The video with this claim has over 650,000 views and has been shared more than 13,000 times.

Complete details

A video circulating on social media features a man claiming that mixing calamansi juice with water and drinking it three to four times a day for 120 days can help improve one’s eyesight. He reasons that poor eyesight is caused by a “dirty” liver or pancreas. 

These claims are false. 

There are no studies that prove that daily intake of calamansi juice can aid in improving eyesight or in “cleaning” the liver or the pancreas. There are no studies either that suggest a “dirty” liver or pancreas results in poor eyesight. 

In terms of eyesight, the use of Vitamin C supplementation in cataracts has been studied. But the data on whether or not vitamin C can help in alleviating cataracts have been inconclusive. One study found that the concentration of Vitamin C in severe cases of cataracts was severely reduced. However, a meta-analysis of the randomized control trials involving Vitamin C supplementation in cataracts found that it does not prevent or slow down age-related cataracts.

As a fruit, calamansi contains many helpful vitamins and minerals that aid our body in daily functioning. According to an article published on Business Mirror, calamansi is rich in Vitamin C or L-ascorbic acid. 

According to Oregon State University’s Micronutrient Information Center, Vitamin C aids our bodies by acting as an antioxidant and reducing the oxidative stress that can damage our cells. However, it is important to note that Vitamin C is not used as a treatment for any diseases, with the exception of scurvy, which is a disease state defined by a deficiency in Vitamin C itself. 

The most popular use of Vitamin C supplementation is due to its ability to reduce the duration of the symptoms of the common cold, but not its severity, as a study in 2013 found. The recommended dietary intake for men aged 19 and above is 90mg per day, and 75mg per day for women age 19 and above, according to the National Academies Press. – Renzo Arceta/Rappler.com

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