Red Light Therapy and Eye Safety at Home

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Red Light Therapy and Eye Safety at Home

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FAQs

1. Is Eye Protection Necessary During Red Light Therapy?

  • Yes, you should wear protective goggles when using red light therapy on areas other than your eyes. This is to keep your eyes safe without losing the therapy's benefits.

    But, if you're treating eye conditions, special devices are used. These devices safely expose your eyes to the right wavelengths. This way, you get the most benefit with the least risk.

    In short, if the light is low and you're far away, just closing your eyes is okay. This is true if the panel doesn't emit near infrared light over 1400nm and no blue/UV light.

    If it feels too bright or uncomfortable, that's your eyes telling you not to do it. Eyes are very delicate and you should take every precaution to keep them safe.

2. What Type of Eye Protection Should Be Used During Red Light Therapy?

  • Use specialized goggles designed to filter red/NIR wavelengths emitted by the RLT device or use blackout goggles to prevent potential eye strain or damage. Again, this is if the intended part that you're healing is not your eyes! Amazon has a selection of FDA approved light therapy goggles.

    Normal sunglasses typically only provide relief from brightness and are not sufficient to provide complete protection. You need special eye protection designed to block red and NIR rays. Our 6 band wavelength panels come with protective eye wear.

3. Should I Keep My Eyes Open or Closed During Red Light Therapy?

  • At lower irradiances or further distances, it might be safe to open your eyes but employing protective eyewear or closing the eyes is typically recommended. Your eye lids are thin and can still let enough light in to bring red light therapy benefits.

4. Is Infrared Light Safe for Eyes?

  • Infrared light over 1400nm might pose more risks if eyes are unprotected. Red light and NIR under 1400nms wavelength is considered safe. Our red light therapy panels shine 6 bands - 610nm 630nm 660nm 810nm 830nm & 850nm, of which 630nm, 650nm, 810nm and 850nm have shown to be particularly therapeutic for human eyes.


5. Can Red Light Therapy Be Used to Treat Eye Conditions?

  • Studies suggest benefits for specific eye conditions like Macular Degeneration, Dry Eye Syndrome, Retinitis Pigmentosa, Glaucoma and others mentioned later in this article. Studies have shown improvement in vision with controlled red light and NIR therapy too. Research indicates potential anti-inflammatory and healing benefits and more, details later on in this article.

6. Is Red Light Therapy Safe for the Eyes?

  • Yes, when utilized properly, it can bring well researched benefits to the eyes.

7. Are There Specific Eye-Related Precautions to Take When Using At-Home Red Light Therapy Devices?

  • Make sure to follow device guidelines and use eye protection. Also, use FDA-approved devices for safety.

8. Are There Any Documented Cases of Eye Damage from Red Light Therapy?

  • Yes, but they are rare. They usually happen when people misuse the therapy, use too much light, or don't protect their eyes. Following the guidelines can greatly reduce these risks.

9. What Are the Symptoms of Overexposure to Red and Infrared Light?

  • Too much light can cause eye strain and discomfort. In serious cases, it can even damage your eyes. To avoid this, don't stay in the light for too long and always wear protective goggles when you're close to the light source.

10. How Should I Select Goggles or Glasses for Red Light Therapy?

  • Choose eyewear that blocks the light used in your therapy. It should also fit comfortably. Blackout goggles are a safe choice. You can find many FDA-approved options on Amazon.

11. Are There Any Age Restrictions or Considerations for Using Red Light Therapy on Eyes?

  • Yes, age matters. Kids' eyes are still growing, and older people might have special needs. It's important to consider these factors.

12. Can Red Light Therapy Interact with Eye Medications or Treatments?

  • Yes, red light therapy could interact with eye medications or treatments. Some might make your eyes more sensitive to light. Others could affect how well they work.


    Table of Contents

    Is Red Light Therapy Safe for Eyes?

    There is a lot of confusing information out there about the possible effects of looking directly at certain kinds and colors of light. To be clear, you never want to look directly at blue, violet, and UV light wavelengths (200nm-480nm). Doing so could cause damage to your cornea, retina, or both. That means it would not be a good idea to stare directly at the sunlight or the light bulbs in your house.

    With that said, there is evidence that some kinds of red light can actually help your vision. In fact, there are more than a few people out there that have received the benefits of red light therapy and improved their eyesight after just a few treatments. Is it always beneficial or can it be harmful and bad for eyes?

    Science backed red light therapy devices for home

    Understanding How the Eyes Process Light

    Before learning about the potential benefits of red light therapy on vision and overall eye health, a discussion about the role color plays in vision would seem to be prudent.

    As humans, we rely very heavily on our ability to see. It helps give us a clearer perspective of the world we see. The truth is we don’t really see images, we see groups of color that create images.

    Remember, the eyes are the most vulnerable and delicate organs in our body. They are easy to damage and difficult to fix. As anyone without eyesight will tell you, life is very different and difficult without good eyesight. People can find ways to make do, but there is nothing that rivals being able to see the world as it is.

    When you are looking at objects, you have the ability to differentiate between literally millions of colors. You also have the ability to detect light between the wavelengths of 400nm and 700nm. What we don’t have is the ability to detect infrared light (as used in infrared light therapy), UV radiation, and microwaves.

    It should not surprise you to learn that the eyes are simply a conglomerate of different types of cells. The most predominate types of cells include:

    • rod cells to detect light intensity
    • cone cells to detect color
    • epithelial cells
    • humor producing cells
    • collagen producing cells

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    Is infrared light safe for eyes?

    Yes and No. Some near red infrared wavelengths like 780nm, 810nm and 830nm have shown to benefit various eye conditions. Most red light therapy devices don’t emit wavelengths over 850nm.

    But natural infrared wavelength goes all the way upto 1400nm. Infrared wavelengths over 850nm have shown to develop cataract over long and direct exposure.

    Having said that, with a red light therapy regimen of 5-20 minute use per day, you have nothing to worry about.

    Red Light and Its Effects on Mitochondria

    The primary function of mitochondria in the human body is to create energy. The energy that it creates helps cells grow and initiates body activity. In case you are wondering, the highest concentration of mitochondria is in the eyes. Without getting too technical, the mitochondria’s relationship to vision is it keeps the above cells regenerating, which helps to ensure people can go on seeing.

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    What does red light do to your eyes?

    The retina in particular needs a lot of energy for proper function. When red light therapy is applied to this part of the human body, it helps keep the cells in the cornea and retina regenerating all the time. How does it do that?

    The mitochondria are collectively like a generator that creates energy. The red light serves as a form of gasoline that helps the generator work. Researchers have found that the loss of vision is closely tied to mitochondrial dysfunction. Red light therapy serves to promote proper function within the mitochondrial, which sometimes translates to better eyesight for the individual going through the therapeutic process.

    The Best Light Wavelengths

    Above, we stated that humans typically see light wavelengths that measure between 400nm and 700nm. Most lasers and LEDs, the sources of red light, put off light wavelengths at about 670nm. That falls well within the scope of what humans can detect. By the way, other light wavelengths that seem to be beneficial are 630nm, 780nm, 810nm & 830nm.

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    Focusing back on eye cellular structure, there are specific cones in your eye that detect the color red. When the eye detects the color red, the mitochondria in those cones get their gasoline and start generating new healthy cells. Red light therapy depends on LED lights to stimulate this growth activity. It’s important to note that lasers are not good for this type of red light therapy. The intensity of the light is too much to bear for the human eye.

    Can Red Light Therapy damage eyes? Do I need to wear Goggles?

    The concern that comes with red light therapy is the power density of the red light the therapist is going to use.

    For example, if you're using one of our panels, you will find it very hard to sit close to the panel without wearing the protective goggles provided. That's because the irradiance of our panels is higher than most brands, which means it's very strong light in layman's terms. But if you're sitting 2 feet away from our panel, you will be comfortable with your eyes closed, which allows the perfect amount of light to get in to heal without causing damage. Keeping your eyes open is not necessary for the healing to happen.

    Researchers have found that the eyes respond to red light therapy in much the same way as the skin. That would mean that a therapist should be able to get the desired results with a power density of about 50mW/cm2 at doses of about 10J/cm2 or less. However, if the power density is substantially increased or if the exposure is for very long periods of time, then red light therapy can cause eye damage.

    Does red light therapy require eye protection?

    Although red light therapy is safe for your eyes in broader terms, if you're too close to a strong light source, your eyes will tell you. It is advised to wear protective glasses (provided) if your red light therapy sessions are long or if you’re too close to a powerful source of red or near infrared light, say for muscle recovery or fat loss.

    Having said that, for red light therapy at home devices, you don’t have to use protective eye-wear if you're 2 feet or more away. Just keeping your eyes closed allows enough light to pass through your thin eyelids for the healing to take place.

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    Our medical grade, FDA registered red light therapy devices contain 6 bands of red/infrared light wavelengths and are designed based on real science research to provide maximum healing.

    How can I protect my eyes from red light therapy?

    Use the protective glasses for prolonged exposure to powerful red light. You can also close your eyes if you wish. If you’re sensitive to bright light, you may wear your regular sunglasses for comfort.

    Eye Conditions that Improve From Red Light Therapy

    In case you are wondering, there are quite a few eye conditions that seem to improve with red light therapy. The list of these conditions include, but is not limited to:

    • Visual acuity
    • Cataracts
    • Diabetic Retinopathy
    • Macular Degeneration – aka AMD or age-related macular degeneration
    • Floaters
    • Dry eye syndrome
    • Glaucoma
    • Refractive Errors

    Hopefully, you can now see the potential benefits of red light therapy on your eyesight and overall eye health. Going through life with hurt eyes is never fun and always a problem. With a regular schedule of red light therapy, there is a good chance you can improve your eye health.

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    5 comments

    I have glaucoma and would like to stop or slow it’s progression so the information you have posted is very helpful.
    Thank you

    Bernard John Elliott-Smith

    I would like to receive some treatment here in Northwest Indiana but I can’t seem to find any eye doctor that does that. May be a home device but I don’t know where to buy those either that’s a reputable place. Maybe somebody out there can help me thank you

    Jim Miller

    Thank you for this informative information! There is so much misinformation out there that I could not get a straight answer. I recently purchased a home infrared light but did not like wearing Google’s esp after reading how the infrared actually improves eye issues,

    Diane

    When using red light therapy for eye health, should you close your eyes or keep them open?

    Eric

    I am a member at planet fitness where they have stand in red lamp therapy. If red light is beneficial to my eyes, will it still befefucal if i close my eyes if red light can go through skin. Or i need to keep my eyes open at times.

    Erik

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