Is red light bad for your eyes? It may come as unverified common sense to most, that projecting any source of light may not be wise but there are always exceptions.

Red light therapy for eyes is a safe, natural, and effective treatment for a surprisingly wide variety of conditions and disorders, including–you guessed it–your eyes. Unlike other powerful light sources, such as the sun, red light specifically promote proper function without any negative side effects. In fact, studies have shown that red light may protect vision and even support a reversal of age-related ocular (eye) disorders such as macular degeneration and glaucoma, as well as eye injuries.

This doesn’t mean you should stare at a bright red light for an extended period however. While doing so won’t cause permanent damage, it may cause irritation. Further, your eyes don’t even need to be open to reap the benefits of red light application for declining eyesight.

Let’s discover how red light works with your eyes, and what precautions you should take when engaging in this therapy at home.

Light and Eyes

Natural sunlight appears to be colorless, but it is actually a virtual rainbow of colors: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and violet. These colors combine to form a visible spectrum of light, or “white light,” which is measured in units called wavelengths. There are also invisible wavelengths of light: ultraviolet and infrared light.

The human body is powerfully affected by light. For example, the blue wavelengths of natural sunlight (the wavelengths that make the sky look blue) influence the hypothalamus, which is a small region of the brain that plays a major role in hormone production. One essential function of the hypothalamus is regulating the sleep-wake cycle—and its ability to do that is adversely affected in the digital age.