What is Red Light Therapy?
Red light therapy boosts cellular energy production and is a common treatment for skin and overall health and wellness. It is thought to increase collagen production in our bodies, which may reduce wrinkles and acne. It's also used for hair loss and to reduce joint pain and inflammation, though results may vary.
Many dermatology/aesthetic clinics and spas, as well as some veterinary clinics use red light therapy (also called high-intensity photobiomodulation panels). Red-light devices for skin and wellness are also available for home use. Whether the red light therapy devices are used at a clinic or at home, it is recommended that those undergoing the treatment wear appropriate protective glasses for comfort and prevention of a potential damage from long term exposure to high energy red and NIR energy.
Why Your Eyes Need Red Light Therapy Glasses
2 types of red light
Red light therapy devices combine two wavelength ranges: visible red light in the 630-660nm band and near-infrared (NIR) energy in the 850-940nm band. These wavelength ranges behave very differently when they reach the eye:
- Visible red light is bright enough to overwhelm photoreceptors, causing discomfort or temporary visual disturbances, especially at the high irradiance levels common in clinical panels. While low-level, non-UV LED masks or panels for home use are considered safe, intense or prolonged exposure can cause eye irritation, headaches, and in rare cases, potential retinal damage, particularly with high-intensity devices.
- NIR energy is a different matter: because it is invisible, your body's natural defenses, such as the blink reflex or pupil constriction, are never triggered. That means NIR light, particularly at 830nm and 940nm, can penetrate deeply into ocular tissue without triggering any of the eye's natural protective responses. Retinal Risk: Some studies indicate that certain, highly concentrated, or misused red light therapy devices could pose a risk of retinal damage.
Can eyelids protect from red light?
Closing your eyes is not a reliable form of protection, particularly against NIR wavelengths, which the eyelids do not block effectively. Closing your eyes is not the same as wearing certified red light eye protection.
Multiple wavelengths
Red light therapy devices are not single-wavelength instruments. A panel combining 630nm, 660nm, 850nm, and 940nm LEDs presents simultaneous visible red and near-infrared retinal risk. Eyewear that only addresses one part of that spectrum leaves the rest unmanaged. Your eyes need effective electromagnetic spectrum protection which is exactly what NoIR's RLT filter series is designed to do, offering protection for the red and infrared ranges.
NoIR Red Light Therapy Glasses
NoIR has been making optical filters for medical and therapeutic use for decades, covering laser safety, low vision, and phototherapy. The RLT filter series applies that same expertise specifically to red light and LED treatment.
All three filters, RLT3, RLT5, and RLT-HP, provide broadband protection against every major energy category present in red light therapy devices. This range covers the full spectrum of wavelengths used across consumer and professional red light therapy devices, including the 630nm, 660nm, 850nm, and 940nm combinations most commonly found in panels and LLLT systems.
Whatever wavelength combination your device uses, for example 630nm only, 660nm and 850nm together, or a full multi-band panel reaching into the 940nm range, NoIR RLT filters cover it.
How to Choose the Right Filter
The RLT3 and RLT5 deliver the same core protection profile and suit most clinical and home use applications. The difference between them is filter density. The RLT3 has a lighter density, making it the better choice if you want some visual awareness during your session. The RLT5 has a higher density, making it the right choice if maximum blockage is the priority and you don't need to see clearly while the panel is running.
The RLT-HP filter is designed for users who need higher visibility and visual precision during treatment. It's an ideal choice for clinicians who need to monitor a client, manage equipment or move around the treatment room while the active panel is running. It is also the recommended option for individuals with high light sensitivity. If you need to remain visually active during the session while still having full protection, the RLT-HP is the right filter for you.
For Clinicians and Practices
When you operate red light therapy or LLLT equipment professionally, you are responsible for eye safety on both sides of the panel. Your clients are often reclined, eyes closed, and trusting your protocol, but you are exposed to reflected energy, day after day. Cumulative exposure is a different risk calculation than a single consumer session, and it is one that clinical professionals need to account for.
NoIR RLT eyewear is designed to support and meet that standard. Our filters block the full broadband spectrum while providing visual clarity for working, observing, or communicating with clients during treatment. And because the same filter series works for patients and practitioners alike, you can standardize on a single product across your practice instead of managing separate eyewear inventories for staff and clients.
For Home Users
Home red light panels have become significantly more powerful in recent years, and session protocols have grown longer to match. Sessions lasting more than 10 minutes near the face, particularly with panels rated above 40 mW/cm2, may requireproper eye protection.
Standard sunglasses are designed for visible light and UV. They do not provide substantial visible red light protection and offer no NIR protection, thus, they offer no meaningful protection against the deeper-penetrating wavelengths emitted by home panels. Only eyewear specifically designed to filter red and near-infrared energy provides the right protection.
NoIR for Your Red Light Glasses
NoIR RLT glasses let you complete your full session comfortably without squinting, shifting position, or worrying about your eye health. Our protective goggles for red and infrared light therapy are lightweight and comfortable to wear. Wearing them will become second nature every time you use your home red light panel.
Not sure which filter is right for you? Email our team or call 800-521-9746 today, and we’ll be happy to help you choose the right one for you!
FAQs
Can I just wear regular sunglasses during red light therapy?
No. Standard sunglasses are designed to reduce visible light and UV but do not block the near-infrared wavelengths at 750-1,100nm that penetrate deeply into ocular tissue during red light therapy. Only eyewear specifically designed to filter red and near-infrared energy provides the right eye protection.
Do I need eye protection if I keep my eyes closed?
Closed eyes reduce visible light exposure, but NIR wavelengths can penetrate the eyelid more easily than visible red light, and the invisible NIR energy may still reach the retina. Certified protective eyewear is the reliable standard, particularly for high-powered panels and clinical devices.
Which NoIR RLT filter is right for me?
The RLT3 suits most applications where some visual awareness is helpful. The RLT5 is the better choice when maximum blockage is the priority. The RLT-HP is designed for clinicians who need to remain visually active during treatment, or for anyone with high light sensitivity. See the How to Choose section above for full guidance.
Do these red light glasses protect against all the wavelengths my device emits?
NoIR RLT filters cover UV (190-400nm), blue (400-450nm), visible red (600-750nm), and NIR (750-1,100nm), spanning the full spectrum used across consumer and professional red light therapy devices, including the 630nm, 660nm, 850nm, and 940nm combinations most commonly found in panels and LLLT systems.
Are NoIR red light therapy glasses suitable for patient use in a clinical setting?
Yes. NoIR RLT eyewear is designed to serve both clinicians and patients. If you run a practice, you can use the same filter series to protect your clients during treatment and yourself throughout the day when you administer multiple RLT sessions.
Can people with existing eye conditions wear NoIR RLT glasses?
NoIR RLT glasses are protective filters, not prescription lenses, and are designed to reduce ocular exposure during red light therapy. If you have a pre-existing eye condition, confirm with your eye care provider that red light therapy is right for you before you begin any treatment protocol.
