Light Exposure Therapy to Relieve Symptoms

Light therapy is a technique that uses exposure to different forms of light to treat the symptoms of a number of conditions, including seasonal affective disorder (SAD) and other forms of depression, the skin disorder psoriasis and infant jaundice. It is also known as phototherapy. The type of light therapy used varies with the condition.

Light Therapy for Depression

Light therapy is a potentially effective treatment option for various forms of depression, especially if you do not want to take antidepressant medications or cannot tolerate their side effects. It may also be helpful if antidepressants prove ineffective, or if you are pregnant or breast-feeding and worry about the effects of antidepressants on your child. In addition to SAD, light therapy can be used to relieve the symptoms of non-seasonal depression, postpartum depression and some sleep disorders.

In this form of light therapy, treatment is given with a specialized box that emits light of greater intensity than is produced by outside light or indoor fixtures. If you receive this treatment, you will sit close enough to a light box to allow its light to enter your eyes indirectly. Initial treatments may last roughly 15 minutes. As you become accustomed to the therapy, your sessions may range from 30 minutes to two hours.

Light Therapy for Psoriasis

If you receive light therapy for the symptoms of psoriasis, you will be exposed to doses of a form of light called ultraviolet B (UVB). UVB is a component of natural sunlight, and in some cases your doctor may choose to treat your psoriasis symptoms by recommending you get a certain amount of daily sunlight exposure. More typically, he will prescribe use of a device that produces artificial UVB. In this form of treatment, you will expose your psoriasis-affected skin to UVB for a prescribed amount of time. In some instances, your doctor may treat your psoriasis with another form of light called ultraviolet A (UVA). UVA treatments may be combined with use of the medication psoralen, which sensitizes your skin to the effects of UVA and increases the effectiveness of your treatment. This combined approach of light therapy and psoralen is known as PUVA.

Light Therapy for Infant Jaundice

If your child suffers from the symptoms of infant jaundice, relief may be gained from another form of light therapy that uses light emitted in the blue-green part of the spectrum. In this technique, your child will be placed under a source that produces this kind of light while wearing a diaper and protective eye coverings. During treatment, a specialized plastic sheet will screen out any potentially harmful ultraviolet radiation. If needed, this light therapy can be supplemented with specialized pads or mattresses that also emit light.

Consult your doctor for more information on the various forms of light therapy.