Certain wavelengths of red light are known to interact with water molecules, energizing them, and reducing the fluid viscosity. As it turns out, this effect can have a significant impact on mitochondria in human retina. In a recent study entitled “Weeklong improved color contrasts sensitivity after single 670 nm exposures associated with enhanced mitochondrial function” published in the Journal of Scientific Reports, researchers report that human subjects showed marked improvement in key color sensitivity tests (the tritan axis and protan axis tests) after only 3 minutes of red light therapy targeted at their retina. Notably, the patients in some cases showed color sensitivity improvements that brought them on par with much younger individuals! It’s too early to tell what the true impact of this research will be, but it does seem to hint at the possibility of a low-cost, non-pharmaceutical intervention for age-related vision deterioration! (But please don’t try this at home – this is not a medically approved treatment and exposing yourself to bright lights can cause damage.)
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LINKS
https://www.newscientist.com/article/2298723-red-light-therapy-could-improve-eyesight-that-has-declined-due-to-age/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=issue
https://www.nature.com/scitable/content/the-electrochemical-proton-gradient-and-atp-synthase-14706672/#:~:text=At%20the%20inner%20mitochondrial%20membrane,the%20membrane%2C%20through%20ATP%20synthase.
https://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/red-light-therapy
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-021-02311-1
https://www.majesticsunsalon.com/what-we-offer/red-light-therapy/
https://earth.callutheran.edu/Academic_Programs/Departments/BioDev/omm/jsmolnew/atp_synthase/atp_synthase.html
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