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Light therapy for seasonal affective disorder in visual impairment and blindness – a pilot study

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  04 March 2021

Helle Østergaard Madsen Open the ORCID record for Helle Østergaard Madsen [Opens in a new window] ,
Shakoor Ba-Ali ,
Ida Hageman ,
Henrik Lund-Andersen  and
Klaus Martiny Open the ORCID record for Klaus Martiny [Opens in a new window]
Helle Østergaard Madsen*
Affiliation:
Mental Health Centre Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
Shakoor Ba-Ali
Affiliation:
Department of Ophthalmology, Rigshospitalet-Glostrup Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark
Ida Hageman
Affiliation:
Mental Health Services, Capital Region of Denmark, Copenhagen, Denmark
Henrik Lund-Andersen
Affiliation:
Department of Ophthalmology, Rigshospitalet-Glostrup Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark
Klaus Martiny
Affiliation:
Mental Health Centre Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
*
Author for correspondence: Helle Østergaard Madsen, E-mail: helle.oestergaard.madsen@regionh.dk
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Abstract

Objective:

Seasonal and non-seasonal depression are prevalent conditions in visual impairment (VI). We assessed the effects and side effects of light therapy in persons with severe VI/blindness who experienced recurrent depressive symptoms in winter corresponding to seasonal affective disorder (SAD) or subsyndromal SAD (sSAD).

Results:

We included 18 persons (11 with severe VI, 3 with light perception and 4 with no light perception) who met screening criteria for sSAD/SAD in a single-arm, assessor-blinded trial of 6 weeks light therapy. In the 12 persons who completed the 6 weeks of treatment, the post-treatment depression score was reduced (p < 0.001), and subjective wellbeing (p = 0.01) and sleep quality were improved (p = 0.03). In 6/12 participants (50%), the post-treatment depression score was below the cut-off set for remission. In four participants with VI, side effects (glare or transiently altered visual function) led to dropout or exclusion.

Conclusion:

Light therapy was associated with a reduction in depressive symptoms in persons with severe VI/blindness. Eye safety remains a concern in persons with residual sight.

Keywords

seasonal affective disorderdepressionphototherapyblindnessretinal ganglion cells
Type
Original Article
Information
Acta Neuropsychiatrica , Volume 33 , Issue 4 , August 2021 , pp. 191 - 199
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Copyright
© The Author(s), 2021. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of Scandinavian College of Neuropsychopharmacology

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