OP20 IS LIGHT WITH LACK OF RED SPECTRAL COMPONENTS A RISK FACTOR FOR AGE-RELATED MACULAR DEGENERATION (AMD)

Abstract: Intense blue spectral light components pose a short-term risk to the retina, called blue light hazard (BLH). For this photochemically-induced retinal injury spectral weighting functions and applicable limit values are established. However, scientific evidence about blue light as a long-term risk factor promoting age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is less descriptive.
Some studies indicate that a spectral weighting function seems to be similar to the function used for BLH. However, there are some scientific papers reporting good therapeutic results in patients with AMD by the use of a therapy called “photobiomodulation”. This indicates that red and near infrared (NIR) spectral components could be beneficial by counteracting blue light induced AMD. In order to describe the balance between the risk potential of blue and the protection potential of red/NIR spectral components an “AMD protection index” is proposed and is applied to various spectra of light sources including LEDs for comparison.