Exploring Light-Based Innovation
A Guest article by Toine Schoutens, Propeaq
At Propeaq, we have always taken an interest in emerging ideas that challenge conventional thinking and offer new hope for people living with Parkinson’s disease (PD). In Gary’s earlier blog posts back in 2018, he discussed early-stage research into light-based therapies and their potential role in supporting brain health. At the time, this was a developing field with promising theories, small studies, and many unanswered questions.
Several years on, that conversation is evolving and one technology that continues to attract attention is our wearable technology, in the form of light glasses. Light glasses are a type of light therapy device, ours are using blue light, delivered through the eyes. The idea behind this approach is that specific wavelengths of light may help support the sleep/wake rhythm which is often disrupted in people with Parkinson’s.
Unlike medications and other, invasive treatments, light glasses are:
• Minimally intrusive;
• Designed for home use;
• Used for short, regular sessions, mostly 2 x 60 minutes daily (directly on wakening and then again 11 hours after awakening);
For people with Parkinson’s, this simplicity and low treatment burden are important considerations,
Parkinson’s Disease is complex, affecting movement, sleep, mood and cognition. While medication remains essential, many people with PD are interested in complementary approaches that may support quality of life alongside standard care.
Research into light therapy suggests it may:
• Support a stable sleep/wake rhythm;
• Reduce sleepiness during daytime;
• Improves mood.
These mechanisms were already being explored when Gary wrote about light therapy in 2018. Since then, interest in this field has grown, with more structured studies and better-designed trials.
When we first covered light-based approaches, the evidence supporting their use, whilst highly encouraging, was still fairly limited and largely exploratory in nature. Early users reported encouraging personal experiences, but larger studies were still needed.
In 2019 a team from Radboud University in the Netherlands, led by Prof. Bas Bloem, a renown name in the field of Parkinson research, published the first study using Propeaq glasses, entitled: “Blue Light Therapy Glasses in Parkinson’s Disease Patients’ Experience”,
Things have moved on apace since then, and today, we are seeing:
• Improved device design and consistency;
• Greater clinical interest in non-pharmacological interventions;
• A clearer focus on measurable outcomes such as motor symptoms, sleep, fatigue, and cognition.
Most importantly, a new clinical study was conducted, using our glasses, under Prof. Bloem. The results have been submitted as a science journal article, currently under review. While full data must always be reviewed carefully and independently, early indications suggest meaningful improvements in symptoms for some participants using Propeaq light glasses as part of a structured protocol.
If the forthcoming study confirms these early signals, Propeaq glasses could represent:
• A valuable adjunctive therapy alongside medication;
• A self-managed option that empowers people with PD;
• A further step toward personalised, non-invasive care.
It is important to stress that light therapy is not a cure for Parkinson’s disease. However, Parkinson’s is increasingly understood as a condition that benefits from multi-layered management, combining medication, exercise, lifestyle interventions and emerging technologies. In the video below, Prof. Bloem discusses these types of approaches. He mentions blue light therapy and references the specific trial, which he hopes will be published soon, at approximately the 43:49 mark of the video.
We believe in being both open-minded and evidence-led. New ideas deserve attention, but also careful evaluation. The anticipated study into Propeaq light glasses is an important moment for the Parkinson’s community, and we look forward to examining the results with Gary in detail once they are published.
For those who remember Gary’s posts from 2018, it is encouraging to see how far this area of research has come. What began as a novel concept is now approaching a level of scientific maturity that could genuinely influence care options.
As always, anyone considering new therapies should discuss them with their healthcare professional and view them as part of a broader, personalised approach to living well with Parkinson’s disease.
Propeaq glasses are available in the UK here.