A rare acute presentation of simultaneous bilateral angle closure in a patient using a red light therapy mask.
Level 4 - case-series / case-control
Single clinical case report
PubMed 42620457 · doi:10.1016/j.ajoc.2026.102645
What was done
This single case report describes a 43-year-old otherwise healthy female who presented with acute-onset simultaneous bilateral angle-closure glaucoma secondary to ciliochoroidal effusions. The patient had been using an at-home red-light therapy (RLT) mask for two weeks, including the morning of presentation. An autoimmune and inflammatory workup was conducted, and the patient was monitored following cessation of RLT and medical management (intraocular pressure-lowering agents, cycloplegics, and steroids).
What was found
Workup for autoimmune and inflammatory causes was negative, and the patient was taking no other medications or supplements. Following discontinuation of the RLT mask and medical treatment, the bilateral ciliochoroidal effusions resolved completely and visual acuity returned to baseline (20/20 in both eyes). Numerical intraocular pressure values and ocular biometry measurements were not provided in the abstract.
Why it matters
This report identifies a potential adverse ocular reaction (ciliochoroidal effusion with secondary angle closure) temporally linked to at-home red light therapy face masks, highlighting a need for clinical vigilance and formal safety evaluation of these consumer devices.
Limits
As a single-patient case report (n = 1), this study cannot demonstrate causality, only temporal correlation. Detailed device parameters (such as irradiance, wavelength, and exact exposure duration) and quantitative clinical metrics are omitted from the abstract.
Cited by
- contradicts Red light therapy has no side effects.