Study: Sunlight passes through the body, improves vision

2025-07-11 08:24:00, Shëndeti CNA

A new study published in the journal Nature has added to the evidence that getting outside every day is good for people. Researchers found that sunlight penetrates deep into the human body, improving physiological functions, including vision.

Specifically, long-wavelength red light was shown to reach internal organs, increase energy production in the body, and improve physiological function, especially in the visual system.

Study author Glen Jeffery, a professor at the Institute of Ophthalmology at University College London, says this deep red healing light can penetrate clothing and improve vision even when that part of the light does not hit the eye.

In previous research, Jeffery and his team found that just three minutes of exposure to 670-nanometer (long-wavelength) deep red light in the morning improved vision by increasing the production of mitochondria for at least a week. Mitochondria, called the “powerhouses of the cell,” convert food into usable energy in the body. The outer retina of the eye contains more mitochondria than any other tissue, the authors said, and can age rapidly.

In the current study, researchers used a longer wavelength application, in this case 850 nanometers, for 15 minutes per day, which was shown to be absorbed into the body and improve visual function.

The authors say the new findings about deep red light mark a breakthrough for eye health and should lead to affordable at-home eye therapy, helping millions of people with naturally declining vision.

"We demonstrate that a single exposure to deep long-wave red light in the morning can significantly improve vision impairment, which is a major health and well-being problem affecting millions of people worldwide," says Jeffery.

Jeffery's research also highlights how external factors, such as light exposure, can affect mitochondrial activity, further highlighting the importance of light to our overall health.

"The best way to harness this healing energy of light is to walk outside in the sunlight or use old incandescent bulbs in your home that are rich in infrared light that we can't see," Jeffery tells Newsmax.

"But we can feel it because it comes out as heat. You can't see infrared light, but you can feel it."

Jeffery points out that infrared light doesn't cause sunburn, but it penetrates deep into the body. Your body responds best to this light in the morning because that's when we're most sensitive to it, he says.

Dr. Roger Seheult, associate clinical professor at the University of California, Riverside, School of Medicine and School of Medicine, is excited by the latest findings that confirm his position on the healing power of infrared light.

Seheult, a vocal supporter of using infrared light to combat chronic diseases, says the latest study confirms his belief that this powerful force may be protective against diabetes, dementia, cancer and other diseases that may be affected by mitochondrial dysfunction.

He adds that you can harness the power of sunlight even when you use sunscreen to protect your skin from damage, because sunscreens do not block infrared light.

"Furthermore, trees, bushes, grass and greenery in general reflect a lot of infrared light," he explains.

"Simply being outside in the shade surrounded by vegetation can significantly increase the amount of infrared light absorbed by your body."

"This may be at the root of why numerous studies have shown a link between green spaces and a reduction in blood pressure, diabetes, anxiety, and an improvement in mental health," Seheult adds.

Seheult tells Newsmax that infrared light is proportionally higher at the beginning of the day and at the end of the day, at sunrise and sunset, respectively./ CNA