Condition focus: Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) & Retinal Mitochondrial Support
Photobiomodulation is a photostimulation therapy delivered using light-emitting diodes at targeted wavelengths to enhance cellular function. In the setting of disease, normal metabolic processes may be interrupted or corrupted and may benefit from additional energetic support to encourage restoration of function. PBM is a minimally invasive method of stimulating mitochondrial energy production to help restore cellular processes and produce observable clinical benefits. PBM therapy has been studied for decades in many models of biological stress and injury and has shown positive benefits for a variety of musculoskeletal, neurological, inflammatory, and painful indications and, more recently, in ophthalmic disease.
Over the past decade, more than 30 published studies have explored the value of PBM for ocular conditions. This review shares the mechanisms of action and recent clinical trial findings that demonstrated the positive effects of multiwavelength PBM in ophthalmology, with particular focus on dry AMD applications.
WaveFront Alignment:
The Spectral WaveFront’s dual wavelengths (670 nm + 810 nm) are directly aligned with the mitochondrial and oxidative-stress pathways emphasized in this review. Although Rosen discusses multi-wavelength platforms, the underlying mechanisms—cytochrome c oxidase activation, improved metabolic efficiency, reduction of inflammatory signaling—map closely to the biologic targets engaged by WaveFront’s ocular-specific PBM geometry.
Link to original research here
Editor’s note: Rosen 2024 provides a concise overview of PBM’s rationale in AMD, including mitochondrial support and multi-wavelength strategies. For clinical outcomes, see the human pilot data in Grewal 2020 and drusen reduction findings in Merry 2017. For systematic synthesis of AMD PBM trials, see Jackson 2023. Foundational mechanistic work on cytochrome c oxidase and inflammation is detailed in Begum 2013. For wavelength and energy comparisons relevant to Spectral WaveFront, see our WaveFront Evidence Alignment.
Related Articles
- Evaluating the Effects of 670 nm PBM in Healthy Aging and AMD – Grewal 2020
- Photobiomodulation Reduces Drusen Volume in Dry AMD – Merry 2017
- Is Multiwavelength PBM Effective and Safe for AMD? – Jackson 2023
- 670nm PBM Reduces Inflammation via Cytochrome c Oxidase – Begum 2013
- PBM Use in Ophthalmology: Translational Research Overview – Valter 2024
Key Takeaways
- PBM targets mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative stress, key pathways implicated in AMD progression
