Do I Need Eye Protection for Red Light Therapy?

Question: Do I have to wear eye protection during red light therapy? I especially want the effects of red light therapy around the eye area and I’m worried that goggles or glasses would block the light. Wouldn’t it be good enough if I just closed my eyes?



The first reason you need eye protection is because the light is so bright it is going to be very uncomfortable on your eyes. Depending on the bulb or device you’re using, it might even be bright enough to harm your eyes.

Just closing your eyes may not be good enough to protect them. Have you ever still been able to “see” light even with your eyes closed? That happens because the light is still making contact with your eye’s retina. The brightness of a red light therapy bulb could certainly cause that to happen.

Another reason is that some people, especially those with certain medical conditions, are more likely to react to light. Bright or flashing lights can trigger migraine headaches or seizures in susceptible people, for example.

So what can you use for eye protection during red light therapy? Fortunately, if your therapy is ONLY red light (no other colors and no infrared light, which is different from red light) you have a lot of options. You basically just need to block enough light to make your eyes comfortable. Extremely dark tinted glasses or goggles might work. And there are red light therapy eye goggles and glasses on the market that are specifically made for it. You could even opt to block all light from your eyes entirely. If you want an inexpensive, basic option, our favorites are RubyLux All-in-One Goggles.

It is true that the effects of red light therapy would be particularly nice around the eye area. It may be possible to use red light therapy in the eye orbital area as long as the light is not directly going into the eye. Meaning, if the position of your red light therapy bulb is making your eye uncomfortable, you shouldn’t keep the light there.

In general, red light therapy treatments are very safe and effective, but the light is still very bright. Wearing adequate eye protection is the smartest, safest way to enjoy red light therapy.