Facebook posts claim a dietary supplement can restore vision for people with failing eyesight and serious eye diseases, suggesting the product was derived from research on zebrafish. This is false; no human trials have been conducted, researchers said the zebrafish studies were not related to a specific product, and specialists in ophthalmology say such conditions cannot be reversed with a pill.

A September 29 Facebook post included a video with text that said: "An award-winning doctor reveals an astonishing natural way to reclaim the 20/20 vision you were born with in record time."

This and similar posts on Facebook included images of a zebrafish, suggesting the product came from basic research on potential treatments for eye diseases and conditions, sponsored by the US National Institutes of Health (NIH).

They link to a video describing the supplements being sold with "15 natural, science-backed vision-rejuvenating ingredients" including spirulina, blueberry extract and lutein, and claim the product called VisiFree can restore poor vision, eliminate the need for corrective lenses, and reverse glaucoma, age-related macular degeneration, cataracts and diabetic retinopathy by stimulating stem cell growth.

But the posts make false claims about the product's ability to reverse serious eye diseases, and misleadingly suggest the supplements are associated with zebrafish research, said scientists involved in the studies and ophthalmological experts.

The research on zebrafish is...

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