Light to Maximize Vision, Minimize Insomnia

VA Palo Alto Health Care System

Status: Completed

Conditions: Postural Balance

Treatments: Other: Light

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other; Other U.S. Federal agency

Identifiers

NCT01712243

1I21RX000773-01A2

Details and patient eligibility

About

The purpose of this study is to determine whether specific wavelengths of light at night can be used to improve mobile balance while simultaneously not increasing alertness.

Enrollment: 29 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 55 to 85 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Aged 55-85
• At least 20/200 corrected visual acuity
• Greater than 20° visual field with no lower visual field loss
• Stable health
• Male or female
• Normal color vision
• Normal hearing

Exclusion criteria

• Extreme chronotype
• Sleep disorders
• Dementia
• Smoker
• Depression
• Alcohol abuse
• Use of illegal drugs
• Use of sleep/wake altering drugs on an acute or as needed basis (including nutraceuticals, antihistamines)
• Use of light sensitizing drugs
• Self-reported history of nocturia (>3 times per night)

Trial design

Primary purpose: Basic Science

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Crossover Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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29 participants in 3 patient groups

Dim light

Active Comparator group

Description:

15 minutes of very dim (\<1 lux) light during the night

Treatment:

Other: Light

Room light

Active Comparator group

Description:

15 minutes of normal room light (\~100 lux) during the night

Treatment:

Other: Light

Colored light

Experimental group

Description:

15 minutes of colored light during the night

Treatment:

Other: Light