Updated November 2023
Red Light Therapy has been shown to improve energy, sleep, and inflammation. As more studies are published, newer applications for its intended use continue to arise. Just a few years ago, Red Light Therapy was proven to influence the gut microbiome and increase collagen production. And now, Red Light Therapy has been linked to eye health as we age past 40.
How Does Red Light Therapy Work?
Red Light Therapy uses low levels of red or near-infrared light to help power your cells and promote healing and energy. The low-wavelength red light produced by our Red Light Therapy machines can be absorbed by the mitochondria in your body, which are responsible for many important processes in your day-to-day health, healing abilities, and energy production.
Red Light Therapy, also known as PBM or Photobiomodulation Therapy, is a painless and relaxing service that takes only ten minutes. Clients typically remove all or most of their clothes so the skin can soak up the maximum amount of light during their session.
Red Light Therapy Linked to Improved Vision
In a 2021 study, researchers asked their test subjects to use Red Light Therapy for three minutes a week. These researchers found that this exposure to Red Light Therapy led to a 17-20% improvement in visual acuity.
How Is This Possible?
Eyesight declines after the age of 40 due to a 70% reduction in ATP (adenosine triphosphate) which means that the cells lack the energy to function properly. Rods and cones, the most metabolically active cells in your entire body, require immense amounts of energy or ATP. Adenosine Triphosphate has a direct relationship with mitochondria which generate energy in your cells. Over time, your photoreceptors experience a build-up of reactive oxygen species (ROS), which limits the ability of mitochondria to use ATP.
For just 3 minutes a week, Red Light Therapy reduces reactive oxygen species and improves ATP production and utilization. This allows the photoreceptors to easily convert light information into electrical signals.
The study included males and females between the ages of 34 and 70 and measured improvements in the participants’ vision by scoring their color contrast vision or the ability to differentiate between colors. All the participants had normal color contrast vision at the start of the trial.
Some individuals were exposed to 3 minutes of deep red light in the morning and others in the afternoon. The color contrast vision of the participants was tested 3 hours after red light exposure and then again one week later. The color contrast vision of the participants who were exposed to red light in the morning improved by an average of 17%.
Red Light Therapy In The Morning
For the greatest improvement from Red Light Therapy, exposure should happen within 3 hours of waking. The researchers found no improvement in color contrast vision in the participants receiving light exposure in the afternoon. The timing is likely because mitochondria follow the body’s circadian rhythms, and according to Professor Glen Jeffery, “They are probably busy doing other things in the afternoon.”
Additionally, the study also found that improvements in vision lasted up to 1 week, so the researchers encouraged weekly use of Red Light Therapy to see continued improvements.
Experience The Benefits Of Right Light Therapy
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