Safety analysis of repeated low-level red light therapy on cone mosaic and microvasculature by adaptive optics scanning laser ophthalmoscopy
Yue Y, Zhang N, Liu KY, Zhong YY, Wang H, Liu SL, Wan WJ, Zhang YL, Deng WL
Photodiagnosis and photodynamic therapy · 0 citations
How it was studied
- Design
- Cross-sectional study (indexed by PubMed)
- Studied in
- People
- Main outcome
- Health markers and function
Who paid for it
- Funding
- Independent funding
- Government
- National Natural Science Foundation of China
- Government
- Chongqing Municipal Education Commission
- Grants
- National Natural Science Foundation of China (81900845); National Natural Science Foundation of China (81371043); National Natural Science Foundation of China (82201168); National Natural Science Foundation of China (82571201); National Natural Science Foundation of China (81970832); Chongqing Municipal Education Commission (KJZD-K202400402)
Based on 2 listed funder(s).
Publication
- Published
- 2026-04-11 · Photodiagnosis Photodyn Ther · vol. 59 · p. 105473
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Cited
- 2 citations · more than 98% of similar papers · 10.9× the field average
- Impact
- Top 10% most cited in its field
- References
- 32 works
- Access
- Open access (journal) · CC-BY
- Research areas
- Ophthalmology and Visual Impairment Studies · Retinal Diseases and Treatments · Laser Applications in Dentistry and Medicine
- Keywords
- Scanning laser ophthalmoscopy, Retinal, Ophthalmoscopy, Foveal, Adaptive optics, Cone (formal languages), Retina
- MeSH
- retinal vessels, humans, myopia, ophthalmoscopy, cross-sectional studies, child, female, male, retinal cone photoreceptor cells, microvessels, low-level light therapy, red light
9 authors
From CN
- Yu YueThe Affiliated Yongchuan Hospital of Chongqing Medical University; Chongqing Medical University
- Ni ZhangThe Affiliated Yongchuan Hospital of Chongqing Medical University; Chongqing Medical University
- Ke-Yu LiuThe Affiliated Yongchuan Hospital of Chongqing Medical University; Chongqing Medical University
- Yuanyuan ZhongThe Affiliated Yongchuan Hospital of Chongqing Medical University; Chongqing Medical University
- Han WangThe Affiliated Yongchuan Hospital of Chongqing Medical University; Chongqing Medical University
- Shu-Lin LiuThe Affiliated Yongchuan Hospital of Chongqing Medical University; Chongqing Medical University
Abstract
Purpose
Despite the growing use of repeated low-level red light (RLRL) therapy for myopic children, its safety remains controversial. This study aimed to analyze macular cone morphology and retinal microvascular hemodynamics using adaptive optics scanning laser ophthalmoscopy (AOSLO) to evaluate retinal microstructural impacts.
Design
Cross-sectional study.
Methods
Three groups were recruited: Myopia-RLRL (20 eyes; ≥8 months treatment), Myopia-Untreated (32 eyes), and Non-Myopic (14 eyes). RLRL therapy was administered using a 650 nm laser at 0.29 mW, twice daily for 3 min per session. AOSLO was used to assess cone morphology (density, spacing, regularity, dispersion) and retinal microvasculature parameters (vessel diameter, lumen diameter, blood flow velocity).
Results
Cone density was higher in the Non-Myopic group (45,649 ± 5092/mm²) compared to the Myopia-Untreated group (40,202 ± 7365/mm², P = 0.013), with no significant difference versus the Myopia-RLRL group (41,274 ± 6228/mm², P = 0.627). Cone spacing was enlarged in myopic groups relative to non-myopic (P < 0.05). Cone dispersion was lower in the Myopia-RLRL group (16.47 ± 2.43%) than in the Myopia-Untreated (17.36 ± 2.14%, P = 0.030) and Non-Myopic (17.80 ± 2.25%, P = 0.024) groups. No significant intergroup differences were found in cone regularity or microvasculature. Cone density positively correlated with spherical equivalent refraction (r = 0.541) and negatively with axial length (r=-0.594; both P < 0.001).
Conclusions
After 8 months of RLRL therapy, there was no significant loss of cone density or issues with retinal microvasculature. Assessment of retinal arteriole and venule diameters and flow velocity also showed no significant differences. The reduced cone dispersion in the RLRL group suggests potential photobiomodulation effects on photoreceptor organization, indicating the therapy's safety and potential benefits.
Abstract via Europe PMC. Copyright remains with the authors or publisher (CC BY).
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