30 June 2026
New research published in GeroScience has found an association between exposure to bright light in the evening and an individual’s risk of developing eye disease.
Researchers from Shanghai General Hospital examined data from 82,826 participants within the UK Biobank cohort. The participants did not have an existing diagnosis of glaucoma, cataract or age-related macular degeneration (AMD) at the study outset.
Participants were monitored for seven days with wrist-worn devices that contained high-resolution light sensors.
The scientists measured the average light intensity that participants were exposed to between 8pm and 11.30pm.
The researchers then analysed new diagnoses of glaucoma, cataract and AMD within the study cohort over a median follow up period of 7.85 years.
They found that the individuals who recorded the brightest evening light readings (exceeding 1000 lux) over the seven-day period had a 31% increased risk of AMD when compared to individuals with average evening light intensity readings.
These individuals also had a 47% higher risk of glaucoma and 18% higher risk of cataracts.
The researchers concluded that high-intensity artificial light in the evening is an independent, modifiable risk factor for major ocular aging pathologies.
They noted that typical indoor lighting for reading or office work is around 300 to 500 lux, adding that this “appears relatively safe” according to the study findings.
“However, modern high-brightness displays and specialised task lighting can easily exceed 1000 lx,” the authors noted.
They observed that high-precision workers – such as surgeons and lab technicians – should be encouraged to take ‘circadian-safe’ recovery periods after exposure to high-intensity occupational lighting.
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