Red light therapy very promising for improving eyesight

In a recent report published in The Journals of Gerontology, scientists studied 24 human subjects split evenly between men and women and aged 28 to 72 and treated them to “low wavelength red light therapy”.

The people had no vision-related conditions. They were to stare at the red light for 3 minutes a day for two weeks. This light is a deep red at 670 nanometers.

“Researchers built on their previous findings in mice, bumblebees and fruit flies, which all found significant improvements in the function of the retina’s photoreceptors when their eyes were exposed to 670 nanometre (long wavelength) deep red light.”

“Mitochondria have specific light absorbance characteristics influencing their performance: longer wavelengths spanning 650 to 1000nm are absorbed and improve mitochondrial performance to increase energy production,” said Lead author, Professor Glen Jeffery (UCL Institute of Ophthalmology).

After two weeks of this treatment Mr Jeffery measured their rod sensitivity (rods are photosensors in the retina of our eyes which absorb greys and are used for seeing in low light conditions while cones in our retinas absorb colors and high level light). He did this by asking them to detect dim light signals in the dark. Then he tested the cone function of participants by having them detect colored letters that had low contrast to their backgrounds.

“Researchers found the 670nm light had no impact in younger individuals, but in those around 40 years and over, significant improvements were obtained.

Cone colour contrast sensitivity (the ability to detect colours) improved by up to 20% in some people aged around 40 and over. Improvements were more significant in the blue part of the colour spectrum that is more vulnerable in ageing.

Rod sensitivity (the ability to see in low light) also improved significantly in those aged around 40 and over, though less than colour contrast.

Professor Jeffery said: “Our study shows that it is possible to significantly improve vision that has declined in aged individuals using simple brief exposures to light wavelengths that recharge the energy system that has declined in the retina cells, rather like re-charging a battery.”

source: Declining eyesight improved by looking at deep red light