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Review
. 2025 Jun;263(6):1515-1522.
doi: 10.1007/s00417-025-06800-1. Epub 2025 Mar 19.

Illuminating eye care: the promise and future of red light therapy in ophthalmology

Fei Xue #  1 , Yating Zhou #  1
Affiliations
Review

Illuminating eye care: the promise and future of red light therapy in ophthalmology

Fei Xue et al. Graefes Arch Clin Exp Ophthalmol. 2025 Jun.

Abstract

With the rapid global rise of myopia, glaucoma, AMD, and dry eye disease, red light therapy (RLT) is quickly emerging as a non-invasive, breakthrough approach with extraordinary potential to transform eye health management. Originally applied for wound healing and pain relief, RLT has shown remarkable, multi-faceted effects in ophthalmology: slowing myopia progression, protecting retinal cells in glaucoma, reducing inflammation in AMD, and relieving symptoms of dry eye disease. However, alongside the surge in research interest, questions regarding optimal dosing, safety, and standardization remain pressing. This review summarizes the latest advances of RLT in eye health, explores its mechanisms of action, analyzes safety concerns in clinical applications, and discusses its synergistic potential with existing treatment methods as well as the integration of RLT with artificial intelligence and wearable technologies. In the future, RLT is expected to play a significant role in the management of chronic ocular diseases, but its long-term effects and safety need careful evaluation, with challenges also remaining in regulatory policies and clinical standardization.

Keywords: Non-invasive treatment; Ocular diseases; Photobiomodulation; Red light therapy; Repeated low-level red light.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declarations. Ethical approval: This article is a review and does not contain any studies with human participants or animals performed by any of the authors. Conflict of interest: All authors certify that they have no affiliations with or involvement in any organization or entity with any financial interest (such as honoraria; educational grants; participation in speakers’ bureaus; membership, employment, consultancies, stock ownership, or other equity interest; and expert testimony or patent-licensing arrangements), or non-financial interest (such as personal or professional relationships, affiliations, knowledge, or beliefs) in the subject matter or materials discussed in this manuscript.

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