Red light therapy is one of the phenomenal treatments for overall health. Nowadays, many doctors are suggesting this treatment for various health problems, including treatment for the eyes.
However, many people are concerned that this bright light therapy may cause concerns for their eyes. Here, we are going to discuss how red light therapy can benefit your eyes and how you can protect them from bright light.
Red Light Therapy for Eyes
The human body can be significantly influenced by natural light; eyes are not different in this manner. The hypothalamus of the brain is influenced by natural light to produce several necessary hormones for wellness.
However, due to several reasons, one may not be able to get the right amount of natural light. In such cases, they can easily include red light therapy to gain health benefits. Read more benefits of red light therapy.
In red light therapy, 630 - 660 nm of visible red light wavelengths are used. These wavelengths are the biggest among other visible light wavelengths and can go deeper under the skin. Therefore, several bodily functions are boosted when one administers this therapy.
This therapy starts working at a cellular level. When red light wavelengths fall on the eye cells, it energizes the mitochondria to encourage better metabolism. Therefore, damaged cells can repair themselves properly.
Also, red light therapy increases circulation in the body, which helps the blood to transport oxygen and other nutrients to deliver in the damaged area. Therefore, the eyes can start to repair themselves and function properly.
Several eye conditions can be resolved when red light treatment is administered to the eyes. Let’s discuss some of them:
Eye Inflammation
This is one of the common age-related eye conditions. One may experience this condition as they grow older and can slowly go towards blindness.
The central vision is affected due to this condition and causes severe problems for patients seeing things.
Research conducted in Bulgaria stated that AMD patients could improve their vision using red light therapy. Another study conducted in the UK corroborates this study.
Cornel Injury
These kinds of injuries can be caused by scratches on the eye due to foreign bodies. This can be very painful for patients and is very difficult to heal.
A 2016 study showed that red light therapy and near-infrared therapy could help patients heal from this condition. Many eye specialists are also referring their patients to get this therapy to rapidly eliminate scratches.
Glaucoma
Glaucoma is caused by nerve damage and can gradually lose vision. This is another age-related eye condition and has no treatments.
However, doctors used to treat the symptoms to stop the blindness progression. Several clinical trials have found that red light therapy can resolve glaucoma conditions without causing further harm.
As red light therapy is non-invasive, it reduces the risk and requires no curing time.
Amblyopia
Lazy eye is the common name for amblyopia, a significant vision disorder. A 2012 clinical trial conducted on a group of adolescent adults has shown promise in treating this condition.
With red light therapy, the subjects of the mentioned clinical trial have shown significant improvement in “visual acuity.”
Diabetic Retinopathy
This eye problem occurs due to abnormal glucose levels. This disease can demolish retinal ganglion cells, which are critical for vision.
A clinical trial conducted with animals has shown a significant reduction in ganglion cell death. However, it is yet to be proven its effectiveness in human trials.
Other than the abovementioned eye conditions, Leber’s optic neuropathy, optic nerve injury, ocular implants, retinopathy of prematurity, and retinitis pigmentosa conditions can be addressed with the help of red light and near-infrared light therapy.
Is It Safe to Use Red Light Therapy?
In red light therapy, natural light wavelengths are used to help patients resolve eye conditions. Therefore, the whole procedure is non-invasive and chemical-free. Thus, patients taking this therapy are protected from further harm.
However, 10,000 lux light irradiance is used in this therapy, which can be a lot for patients to tolerate.
Therefore, some protective measures need to be taken while getting this therapy.
Also, keeping the eyes closed during this therapy is an option that does not affect the effectiveness of red light therapy. The skin keeping the eyes protected from the bright light has less thickness. As red light therapy utilizes the biggest wavelengths in the visible light spectrum, it can penetrate the eyelids and reach the damaged eye area.
The recommended length of a red light therapy session for the eyes is two minutes. However, one should consult an eye specialist before administering the therapy.
Bottom Line
Red light therapy has immense possibilities to help patients with several eye conditions. With this therapy, one can rapidly reduce cell damage, inflammation, and vision loss while getting healed from eye injuries.
However, using protective gadgets while taking this therapy is highly recommended. Otherwise, this therapy can impact the whole therapeutic benefit and irritate the users.
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