Mitochondrial decline in retinal cells contributes to age-related macular degeneration progression through reduced cellular energy production. This clinical trial demonstrated that 670 nm red light therapy (4–7.7 J/cm²) combined with 590 nm and 790 nm wavelengths (0.1 J/cm²) significantly reduced drusen volume while improving best-corrected visual acuity and contrast sensitivity in atrophic AMD patients. The mechanism likely involves enhanced mitochondrial ATP production through improved cytochrome c oxidase efficiency. After 3 weeks of treatment, patients showed measurable improvements in visual function with excellent safety profile and no significant adverse effects. This intervention demonstrates that targeted wavelength therapy can meaningfully impact retinal health in degenerative conditions.
Shinhmar et al. (2021) further confirmed mitochondrial benefits of 670 nm PBM.
Link to original research is here
Editor’s note: These structural and functional gains complement 670 nm human data in Grewal 2020, durability observations in Koev 2018, and wavelength-specific comparisons versus 830 nm in Giacci 2014. For synthesis across trials, see the systematic review Jackson 2023.
