Study of Light Sensitivity Effects on Sleep, Mood, Alertness, and Thinking in Adults with Glaucoma Compared to Healthy Adults Aged 45 to 75

What this Trial Is About

This research aims to understand how light sensitivity in the eye influences sleep, mood, alertness, and thinking skills in adults with glaucoma compared to healthy individuals aged 45 to 75 years. It explores whether people with glaucoma have poorer sleep and mood due to damage to special retinal cells called intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells ipRGCs and whether exposure to safe, full-spectrum indoor light can improve these functions. Participants include 60 patients with primary open-angle glaucoma and 60 healthy adults matched by age. Each participant undergoes two laboratory visits the first includes eye exams and questionnaires about sleep, mood, and cognition. They then wear a wrist device for 8 to 16 days to track sleep and light exposure. The second visit involves exposure to two types of light conditionsstandard indoor light 300 lux and full-spectrum white light 1000 luxin a randomized crossover design, followed by cognitive and attention tests with eye tracking. During the study, participants complete various cognitive tasks and mood assessments before and after light exposure sessions. Researchers measure sleep quality, alertness, mood, cognitive function, pupil responses, and risk-taking behavior. The study monitors changes over time and between light conditions to evaluate the impact of glaucoma on brain function beyond vision and the potential benefits of light therapy for wellbeing.

Altered Non-Visual Photoreception in Patients With Glaucoma: Impacts on Sleep, Alertness, Mood, and Cognition