Can Children Use Red Light Therapy Panels? Pediatricians: Safety Guidelines for Myopia Prevention and Wound Care
2025-11-27
Red light therapy panels are usually safe for children when used correctly. Red light can slow the growth of a child's eyes by about 68%. This is an advanced method for helping prevent myopia.
Nearsightedness, also called myopia, happens when the eye becomes too long. This makes faraway things look blurry.
Red light therapy for kids is becoming a gentle, non-invasive option that can help with these eye problems. Research from China shows that red light can help slow or stop myopia in children. A study conducted across six clinics in China found that regular red light treatments can slow the progression of myopia in kids. Another clinical study showed that RLT slowed the rate of increase in myopia and eye length over 6 months, compared with orthokeratology and single-vision glasses.
Key Topics:
|
1. What Is Red Light Therapy?
2. How does Red Light Therapy Work in Myopia and Wound Healing?
3. How Red Light Therapy Can Help Your Child
4. Is Red Light Therapy Safe for Kids?
5. Practical Safety Tips
6. Conditions to Avoid Using RLT on Children
Conclusion
|
What Is Red Light Therapy?
Red light therapy for kids uses a soft, low-wavelength red or near-infrared light to help the cells in the eye work better. It uses small devices that shine soft red light into the eyes for a few minutes, once or a few times each day. This treatment seems to help improve blood flow in the eye, but doctors still don't fully understand how it helps with nearsightedness. Red light therapy is already being used in China, other Asian countries, Australia, and some places in Europe.
How does Red Light Therapy Work in Myopia and Wound Healing?
In China, it has been used for many years to treat amblyopia, also called "lazy eye." Some early reports show it may make the choroid thicker, improve blood flow, and slow the eyeball's expansion. These results made experts wonder whether it could also help with nearsightedness (myopia).
When a child is nearsighted, the shape of the eyeball changes. The choroid can get thinner, and the eyes may get less oxygen. Many researchers believe that red light therapy can help improve these changes in the retina and choroid. When oxygen and blood flow to the sclera are increased, it reduces the risk of myopia.
Red light therapy helps scrapes, burns, cuts, and other minor injuries heal faster and provides cells with more energy to repair themselves. Kids often get small cuts and scrapes, red light therapy may help them heal faster. This light gives the skin a little boost so the tissues can repair themselves more quickly.
A study published in The Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology (2018) showed that red light therapy helps kids make more collagen. Collagen is something the skin uses to fix itself. Because of this, wounds healed faster and swelling went down. That’s why it can be helpful for certain skin problems in children.
How Red Light Therapy Can Help Your Child
Parents who want to slow down their child’s myopia can also consider red light therapy. It offers a few simple benefits:
- Gentle and painless
Red light therapy doesn’t hurt at all. Unlike eye drops, nothing has to be put into the eyes, so most kids feel more comfortable using it.
- Better Eye Health
Studies show that regularly using red light can improve eye function. For many children, this may slow the progression of their nearsightedness. Some reports show that it can slow it by as much as 87% after a few months.
- Easy to Use at Home
Sessions are short and can fit into everyday routines, like during homework time or while watching TV. It works well for busy families and is easy for kids to use.
- Helps in the Long Run
Starting red light therapy early may support better eye health as children grow. Kids who begin before age 12 may notice stronger results.
Is Red Light Therapy Safe for Kids?
Red light therapy is known to be safe for children. UV light can hurt skin cells, but red light therapy uses a soft, safe type of light (600–1000 nm). It doesn’t burn the skin or harm DNA.
A review in Photochemistry and Photobiology (2021) showed that kids of many ages handhled red light therapy well, and it’s a non-invasive treatment. But parents should still take care of their children during use, follow the recommended time limits, and talk to a doctor if their child has any health conditions before starting the therapy.
Practical Safety Tips
Here are some easy steps to follow when using red light therapy for your child:
- Talk to an eye doctor first: Before starting, check with an optometrist or ophthalmologist. They can advise you based on your child's eye exam results and the severity of the myopia.
- Use safe, approved devices: Choose red light therapy panels that are certified for home use. This helps keep the treatment safe and makes sure it works well.
- Make a simple routine: Add therapy to your child's daily routine. You can do it during calm times, like when they're reading or relaxing.
- Watch their progress: Notice how your child feels and how their vision changes. Keep checking in with their eye doctor to see if the therapy is helping.
Conditions to Avoid Using RLT on Children
Red light therapy is usually safe, but it's not suitable for every child. Kids with conditions that make them sensitive to light, like lupus, or who take medicines that make their skin more sensitive, should avoid red light therapy. You shouldn't use red light therapy on a fresh, open wound without a doctor's permission.
Conclusion
Red light therapy is a safe option for children when used correctly and for the right reasons. It can help with wound healing, myopia, pain relief, or the treatment of some skin problems. It's important to use FDA-approved devices for safety and to follow all instructions for use with children. Always talk to a pediatrician before starting any treatment to make sure it's the best choice for your child.
References:
1. Mittermayr, R., et al. (2012). “Red light therapy and its effects on wound healing in various age groups.” Lasers in Medical Science.
2. Hamblin, M. R., et al. (2017). “Applications of red light therapy in pediatrics: A review of its safety and efficacy.” Photomedicine and Laser Surgery.
3. Avci, P., et al. (2014). “Low-level laser therapy for inflammatory conditions in children.” Lasers in Surgery and Medicine.
ReviewsNumber of comments: {{ page.total }}
I want to comment?
{{item.nickname ? (item.nickname.slice(0, 2) + '*****') : item.source === 1 ? 'mall buyer' : '--'}}
{{item.comment_time}}
Review in the {{item.country}}
Reviews
Merchant
{{replyItem.nickname ? (replyItem.nickname.slice(0, 2) + '*****') : replyItem.source === 1 ? 'mall buyer' : '--'}}
{{replyItem.parent_nickname ? (replyItem.parent_nickname.slice(0, 2) + '*****') : '--'}}
{{replyItem.is_merchant_reply === 1 ? replyItem.reply_time : replyItem.comment_time}}
Review in the {{replyItem.country}}
Reviews
No customer reviews
recommended for you
no data
GET IN TOUCH WITH Us
+86 15547888169
Operating Hours
Red light therapy enhances skin health, boosts cellular energy, and accelerates healing for a revitalized, youthful appearance and improved overall well-being.
Contact with us
Contact: Daniel
WhatsApp: +86 15547888169
E-mail: daniel@iluxred.com
Address:
303A Cuisine Lehui (Liangchuang Business Center), No. 526 Longping East Road, Shengping Community, Longcheng Street