What is BLUEWAVE™?
The specific bandwidth of light most effective for shifting circadian rhythms, suppressing melatonin and creating an antidepressant effect is the range of 446 – 477 nanometers, in the upper end of the blue spectrum, peaking at 464nm. Recently, the Journal of Neuroscience reported that this specific bandwidth of light is up to five times more effective than other wavelengths at causing this neurochemical shift. Apollo’s patented BLUEWAVE ™ technology is the only method that delivers the effective intensity of this bandwidth of light.
Is BLUEWAVE™ More Effective Than Full-Spectrum?
Light therapy using this specific range of light can be quicker and affect a stronger response. Fluorescent lamps do not naturally produce the effective bandwidth of light, and so their intensity must be increased to 10,000-lux in order to produce a therapeutic benefit. Before BLUEWAVE™ technology, 10,000-lux intensity was the standard for light therapy. Now Apollo’s technology can produce more BLUEWAVE™ light than was available with full-spectrum lamps, while greatly reducing the overall intensity of the light. As a result, patients can enjoy a more comfortable and efficient therapy.
Is BLUEWAVE™ Safe?
BLUEWAVE™ is the only technology that has been subjected to and passed an FDA ocular safety review. Dr. David Sliney, National Institute of Health ocular physicist, reported that BLUEWAVE™was well below government threshold levels for ocular safety, and poses no risk of ocular damage. (Ocular damage occurs in the range of 340 – 390 nm, ultraviolet and near ultraviolet light). Also because BLUEWAVE™ technology is very targeted, it produces no UV emissions.
No Reported Side Effects
At the annual Society for Light Treatment and Biological Rhythms convention in May 2004, TMJU researchers reported their latest study using Apollo’s BLUEWAVE™ technology. Not only were response and remission rates equivalent to standard 10,000-lux studies, but no side effects were reported from using BLUEWAVE™ .These findings were remarkable, especially considering that previous 10,000-lux light therapy studies had participants who experienced initial side effects ranging from nausea to headaches.
Greater Comfort
In addition, participants remarked that their therapy was more comfortable than 10,000-lux light therapy, and when given a choice, preferred using BLUEWAVE™. Some patients who used 10,000-lux light therapy remarked that BLUEWAVE™ was easier on their eyes. No glare was detected. Under normal circumstances, light therapy studies expect some participant drop out, but the dropout rate with the BLUEWAVE™ study was far lower than normal. Researchers also noted that the participation rate unusual and encouraging.
How is BLUEWAVE™ Measured?
Photons/cm 2 vs. Because BLUEWAVE™ represents only a narrow slice of the visible light spectrum, it cannot be measured accurately with a lux meter. Lux meters measure the total spectral energy from all visible wavelengths, not specific bandwidths. This is why BLUEWAVE™ intensity is measured in photons/cm 2 instead of in lux.
Who Has BLUEWAVE™Technology?
The specific bandwidth of light was discovered by Thomas Jefferson Medical University, and Apollo owns the patent applications for BLUEWAVE™ technology. BLUEWAVE™ technology was developed by Apollo to apply TJMU’s research. Although a few companies claim to have this or similar technology, they do not. Apollo Health, Inc. is the only light therapy company to have participated with TMJU in these research studies, and only Apollo is authorized to research and manufacture devices with BLUEWAVE technology.
Caution: Other companies may claim to have “Blue” technology, but their products are not the result of research and may cause over exposure or safety issues. For example, one light therapy device uses a blue fluorescent lamp, which increases light in the low range of 420 nm. Part of this range is considered ‘near ultraviolet,’ close to the UV range of 340 – 390 nm. Other LED products also claim to benefit from this research, but produce light intensities far in excess of TMU and Apollo’s research results without the necessary level of BLUEWAVE™
BLUEWAVE™ vs. BRITEWAVE™
BLUEWAVE™ is different than BRITEWAVE™ in that it provides only the effective bandwidth of light. It is more effective than 10,000 lux full-spectrum light, and because of reduced intensity, it is easier on the eyes and causes fewer side effects. BLUEWAVE™ technology is also the most convenient to use. BRITEWAVE™ combines 10,000-lux light with BLUEWAVE™ and is ideal for those who prefer bright sunlight, but also want the benefits of BLUEWAVE™. Both technologies are more effective than conventional full-spectrum light therapy, but because BRITEWAVE™ products produce larger treatment fields, they may also be considered for children or those with more severe symptoms.
BLUEWAVE Technology is the most thoroughly tested light therapy technology for safety and effectiveness. Several studies have confirmed that 470 nm light is the ‘action mechanism’ in treating circadian rhythm disorders that result in Seasonal Affective Disorder, sleep, depression and other circadian rhythm problems. In addition, BLUEWAVE™ has been proven safe and effective at shifting circadian rhythms and yielding an antidepressant response.
Check out our Apollo Light Therapy Products. (All of them use BLUEWAVE™ Technology except for the DB duo Alarm. The BriteLITE 6 also uses BRITEWAVE™).
Published Studies on 470 nm Short Wavelength Light
• Light Therapy for Seasonal Affective Disorder with 470 nm Narrow-Band Light-Emitting Diodes (LEDs), Chronobiology International 21/4-5/2004, 783.
• Action spectrum for melatonin regulation in humans: evidence for a novel circadian photoreceptor, J Neurosci. 2001 Aug 15;21(16):6405-12
• High sensitivity of the human circadian melatonin rhythm to resetting by short wavelength light, J Clin Endocrinol Metabol 2003 Sep;88(9):4502-5.
• Differential effects of light wavelength in phase advancing the melatonin rhythm, J Pineal Research. March 2004; 36 (2): 140-4
• An action spectrum for melatonin suppression: evidence for a novel non-rod, non-cone photoreceptor system in humans.J Physiol. 2001 Aug 15;535(Pt 1):261-7.
• Phase advancing human circadian rhythms with short wavelength light, Neurosci Lett. 2003 May 15;342(1-2):37-40
• Optimization of light and melatonin to phase-shift human circadian rhythms, J Neuroendocrinol. 2003 Apr;15(4):438-41
• LRC Studies Human Response to Light, Discovers Evidence of Mechanism Leading to Melatonin Suppression, Lighting Research Center News, April 6, 2004 http://news.rpi.edu/
