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light therapy; bright light therapy
Indications:
1) seasonal depression
- reduced depression among those with greater daytime light exposure [2]
2) adjunctive treatment for non-seasonal depressive disorders
- may improve response time to initial therapy
3) sleep disorder
- sleep regularity may modify effect of light therapy on depression [2]
Procedure:
- 30 minutes/day of 10,000 lux light
- 2 hours/day of 2500 lex light
- Eye must be open for therapy to be effective
Adverse effects:
1) retinal damage from staring directly at light
2) headache
3) eyestrain
4) nausea
4) agitation
General
phototherapy
References
- Prescriber's Letter 12(1): 2005
Seasonal Affective Disorder Light Therapy Product Comparison Chart
Detail-Document#: 210106
(subscription needed) http://www.prescribersletter.com
- Wallace DA, Redline S, Sofer T, Kossowsky
Environmental Bright Light Exposure, Depression Symptoms, and Sleep Regularity.
JAMA Netw Open. 2024;7(7):e2422810.
PMID: 39018075 PMCID: PMC11255914
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2821240
- Menegaz de Almeida A, Aquino de Moraes FC, Cavalcanti Souza ME et al
Bright Light Therapy for Nonseasonal Depressive Disorders: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
JAMA Psychiatry. 2024 Oct 2:e242871.
PMID: 39356500
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapsychiatry/fullarticle/2824482