Red Light Therapy for Eyes: Vision Health Benefits

In the United States, approximately 12 million people over the age of 40 have some kind of vision impairment.

Are you part of this group? Are you interested in doing whatever you can to protect your eyes so you don’t end up part of it?

In either case, red light therapy may be an effective tool to help you improve your eye health.

Read on to learn more about red light therapy for eyes and how to improve your blurry vision after red light thearpy.

What Is Red Light Therapy?

Red light therapy (AKA low-level laser therapy or photobiomodulation) is a unique treatment that uses red light (which is similar to infrared light) that the eyes can’t see but the body can feel.

During red light therapy treatments, the body is exposed to a special red light device. In response to this exposure, the mitochondria (or power generators) of the cells absorb the red light and produce more energy. This extra energy helps cells to repair themselves and promotes healing.

Benefits of Red Light Therapy for Eyesight

Red light therapy is often used to address skin conditions like fine lines and age spots. Some people have also found that it reduces inflammation and chronic pain.

More recently, though, others have started to ask “Is red light therapy good for your eyes?”

Put simply, the answer is yes. 

The following are some specific benefits that red light therapy has to offer when it comes to improving eye health:

Prevents Vision Loss

One of the greatest vision-related benefits of red light therapy is that it can help to prevent vision loss brought on by age.

As we get older, the cells of our eyes begin to degenerate, which leads to increased inflammation and declines in vision. Red light therapy stimulates the mitochondria of the cells in the eyes so they produce more energy. This, in turn, helps the cells to work more efficiently even as we age.

Regular red light therapy treatments have been shown to improve visual acuity, reduce vision distortions, and reduce the frequency and severity of broken blood vessels.

Treats Retinitis Pigmentosa

Retinitis pigmentosa is a degenerative disease that breaks down the cells in the retinas and causes vision difficulties at night and a loss of one’s peripheral vision. Eventually, it causes complete blindness. 

Red light therapy, because of its positive effects on the mitochondria of the cells, can help to prevent cell death and preserve retinal function. This slows down the progression of retinitis pigmentosa

Treats Glaucoma

For those who are looking for natural glaucoma treatment, red light therapy is an excellent option. Red light therapy protects the cells of the cornea, which helps to minimize intraocular pressure. It also protects the retina to minimize vision loss caused by glaucoma.

Heals Optic Nerve Injuries

When optic nerve injuries are left untreated, the nerve will eventually lose function. This causes the cells of the eye to die and results in vision loss.

Treating optic nerve injuries with red light therapy has been shown to promote healing and restore vision. This is especially true when red light therapy is promptly administered following an injury.

Heals Other Eye Injuries

Red light therapy can help to speed up the healing process for other eye injuries, too.

For example, corneal burns heal faster (and with less cell loss) when treated with red light therapy. Those with corneal foreign body conditions experience significantly shorter healing periods when treated with red light therapy as well.

Is Red Light Therapy Safe for Eyes?

At first, the idea of pointing red light at your eyes might seem a bit scary. You might be asking questions like “Does red light therapy damage eyes?” or “Can red light therapy hurt your eyes” or “Do I need red light therapy eye protection?”

The good news is that red light therapy is considered safe for the eyes. You do not need to wear red light therapy eye protection during any type of treatment, especially those geared toward healing the eyes or treating conditions like the ones listed above.

How to Use Red Light Therapy for Eyes

To experience a positive red light therapy effect on eyes, keep the following tips in mind. They’ll help you to get the most out of your treatments so you can start seeing results sooner:

Keep Sessions Short

The great thing about red light therapy for eye health is that you don’t need to commit to long treatment times to see results. This study shows that just three minutes a day of starting at a red light device can reduce vision loss and improve overall eye health.

Be Consistent

While you don’t need to spend a lot of time each day in front of a red light therapy device, you do need to make sure you’re using it consistently. If you’re only sitting in front of the device once every couple of weeks, you’re not going to see the kinds of results you’re hoping for.

Consider an At-Home System

If the idea of driving to a medspa every day for red light therapy treatments sounds daunting and expensive, consider investing in an at-home system.

It may cost more upfront than one session at a medspa, but this investment will save you money in the long run. It’ll make it easier for you to be consistent with your treatments, too.

FAQs

Do you nееd еyе protеction for rеd light thеrapy?

Eyе protеction is not typically rеquirеd for rеd light thеrapy, as it is gеnеrally considеrеd safе for thе еyеs. Howеvеr, if thе light is uncomfortably bright or if you havе prе-еxisting еyе conditions, it's advisablе to usе еyе protеction.

Can rеd light thеrapy causе еyе problеms?

Thеrе is limitеd еvidеncе suggеsting rеd light thеrapy causеs еyе problеms. Howеvеr, it's always wisе to usе rеd light thеrapy dеvicеs as dirеctеd and consult with a hеalthcarе professional if you havе concеrns about your еyе hеalth.

Is rеd light thеrapy good for undеr еyеs?

Rеd light thеrapy may bеnеfit thе undеr-еyе arеa by promoting collagеn production, rеducing inflammation, and improving circulation, which can hеlp in rеducing thе appеarancе of dark circlеs and finе linеs.

Can I closе my еyеs during rеd light thеrapy?

Yеs, you can closе your еyеs during rеd light thеrapy. This won't diminish thе thеrapy's еffеctivеnеss on your skin, and it may bе morе comfortablе for some individuals.

Is it harmful to bе chronically еxposеd to rеd light during thе day?

Chronic еxposurе to any light, including rеd light, can potentially cause issues if it's еxcеssivеly bright or disrupts your natural circadian rhythms. In normal ambiеnt conditions, rеd light еxposurе during thе day is not typically harmful. 

Try Red Light Therapy for Eye Health Today

Are you interested in using red light therapy for macular degeneration, faster injury healing, or any other eye conditions? Do you want to enjoy the benefits of red light therapy without having to drive to medspa multiple times per week?

If you said “yes” to both of these questions, it’s time to invest in a set of at-home red light panels.

At Sun Home Saunas, we have a wide range of options for you to choose from, including portable devices. Check out our collection today to find the perfect fit for you and your needs. 

In addition, sauna use has been known to significantly help with skin health and can be used with red light therapy to further enhance the benefits.