Side Effects of Omnilux Light Therapy

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Omnilux light therapy is very safe compared to other light therapy methods such as UV phototherapy and laser treatments for treating skin disorders, for instance during laser treatments not only does protective eye wear (goggles) have to be worn but also complete facial protection and genital protection may be required whilst undergoing treatment.

In rat models of Meckel syndrome (a rare, often fatal disease causing polycystic kidneys and other organ malformations) the use of infra-red light therapy was detrimental. This caused an increase of symptoms and damage caused by the disease. Always check with your doctor before using Omnilux light therapy if you suffer from any existing medical conditions.

Will Omnilux Treatment Have Side Effects That Will Affect My Vision?

Recent reports have highlighted concern over any bright light treatment. Raising the issue that bright light may have effects on your eye function and consequently your vision. Protective goggles should always be worn and if you have a family history of eye disease or disease that increases your sensitivity to light, then consult your doctor before using light therapy. Intense light exposure may abnormally affect the retina an area at the back of your eye containing cells that normally sense daylight and darkness along with colours, allowing you to see fine details. As your eye ages you may develop a disease called macular degeneration, where the cells of the retina stop functioning and your field of vision becomes reduced. This retina degeneration may be genetic, as a result of other disease (such as diabetes) or caused by wear and tear (just generally by being exposed to daylight) over many years. Therefore intense or increased exposure of your eyes to light may increase normal wear and tear and speed up the development of diseases like macular degeneration, particularly likely if your eyes are already showing increased sensitivity to light. Hence in the longer term vision may be affected by excessive exposure to bright light of any wavelength/colour.

Specifically, a report in 2011 raised concerns over the effect of blue light on cells of the retina. Blue light has been shown to induce damage within the retina, by destroying cells that sense light (photoreceptors). Infra-red light is also reported to be damaging to the retina and may also cause cataracts. Eye protection must therefore always be worn when using the Omnilux lamps. Slight increases in skin sensitivity to light immediately following coloured light therapy have also been reported and after low numbers of treatments acne symptoms have been reported to increase in some cases.

Will Omnilux Light Therapy Have Side Effects That Increase My Chance of Developing Skin Cancer?

Skin cancer is associated with UVB and also UVA light that is in the range of 200-400 nm. The Omnilux light therapy lamps operate between 415 and 850 nm therefore there should be no increased risk of developing skin cancer in response to coloured light therapy such as Omnilux light therapy.

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