Red safelights may be good for our eyes

[Brendan Quirk]

So your argument is that if you pick a random group of 24 people and study them, there would be improvement to eyesight to all 24 for no reason whatsoever.

Seems reasonable to me.

If the study was significant at the P<0.05 level, which is the typical standard, then they are saying that there is basically a 5% chance of getting the observed effect purely by chance. They don't give access to the article, except if you pay. More serious groups these days use open access (where they pay for public access).

The failure to include a sham, or placebo, treatment is a fatal flaw. In addition, the abstract is completely inadequate, uninformative, and a warning signal of a bad study.

There are, though, many reasonable studies on using NIR (near infrared light) in vision related areas, such as laser eye injury, Leber's hereditary optical neuropathy, and age related macular degeneration, among others. I do not say that PBM for eyes is not real, but don't know if it will ever become useful. The effects measured are just too small and hard to reproduce.

PS. The study size was appropriate for a Phase 1 or pilot study, but it is a long way from there to the clinic.

 

[grat]

PS. The study size was appropriate for a Phase 1 or pilot study, but it is a long way from there to the clinic.

Exactly. No one claimed this was a full-blown study, this is a preliminary study with very promising results. Any study that showed across-the-board improvement for all subjects is something you could easily get funding for the next stage, which would be a larger sample size, with controls.

I understand the need for larger, more rigorous testing, but dismissing the results because it didn't meet criteria "X" is a bit over the top, and that's what I was commenting on-- somewhat tongue-in-cheek.

 

[pentaxuser]

Glad you happened by, Brendan, given your background. Can you what the wavelength is of the normal red safelight in a darkroom. If it is 670nm then my next question is irrelevant but if it is not 670 then how relevant is a red safelight to the improvement mentioned in the study?

Thanks

pentaxuser

 

[john_s]

My darkroom LEDs are "peak wavelength" 660nm, very red. I chose them because I had some trouble with safelight fogging with LEDs that were orange/red. Attached is an exceprt from the spec sheet. I can have these at a bright level without fogging (tested).

 

[Brendan Quirk]

660 nm is also thought to be a good wavelength. We use 670 nm LED arrays at 50 mW/cm2. This is bright enough to dazzle you, and exposures are ~15 min. Darkroom light is probably far to dim for an immediate effect. The key, though, is total energy delivered, or power x time. So a 15 exposure should be equivalent to 150 min at 5 mW/cm2, or 1500 min at 0.5. The bottom line, is that the red light can't hurt you, and MIGHT be beneficial.

 

[pentaxuser]

Thanks We are dealing with LEDs here but many, possibly still the majority, still have incandescents behind a red filter such as Ilford Kodak or Paterson red safelights What are these tungsten lights rated at ?

Thanks

pentaxuser

 

[Doremus Scudder]

Here's the transmission spectrum for the Kodak #1 safelight filter. The 1A is the same as far as cut off, but transmits more light overall.

Best,

Doremus

 

[winger]

Whether it works or not to help my eyes, being in the darkroom helps my soul. I REALLY need to spend some time in it.

 

[jvo]

"ANALOG PHOTOGRAPHY EXPERIENCES UNEXPLAINED RESURGENCE.... CAMERA'S AND FILM PRICES AT RECORD LEVELS..." Economists baffled!

 

[Kino]

https://scienmag.com/declining-eyesight-improved-by-looking-at-deep-red-light/

 

[MattKing]

From a different report: https://www.photrio.com/forum/threads/red-safelights-may-be-good-for-our-eyes.176326/
I'm not sure whether having this in the Lounge or in Darkroom Equipment works best.

 

[Kino]

OK, I asked the mods to delete the post. No need for duplication.

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

Threads merged. It's not about photographic work, but it's about darkroom equipment, so let's go with that forum.

 

[Sirius Glass]

All this just makes me see Red!