Treating shortsightedness with red-light therapy may have unintended side effects

Embargoed until: Publicly released: 2025-04-25 01:00

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Treating shortsightedness with red-light therapy may have unintended side effects, with a new study showing a reduced density of light-sensing cone cells in people who used red light therapy for at least a year. Red light therapy is increasingly being explored as a treatment for myopia, or shortsightedness. The researchers used high-resolution retinal imaging to study retinal structure in eyes exposed to repeated low-level red light for 12 months or longer and found decreased cone density close to the part of the eye responsible for sharp central vision. The authors conclude that more research is required to study the long-term safety of repeated low-level red light.