Light therapy might seem futuristic, but its healing power has been known for centuries. From ancient sun worship, to scientific breakthroughs, this technology has transformed again and again. Yet, its full potential is only just being unlocked.
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Light therapy might seem futuristic, but its healing power has been known for centuries. From ancient sun worship, to scientific breakthroughs, this technology has transformed again and again. Yet, its full potential is only just being unlocked.
Despite its rich history, light therapy has been overshadowed by pharmaceutical drugs. As the overuse of antibiotics fuels the rise of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), the search for alternative treatments has never been more urgent.
At UVISA, we see light therapy as a breakthrough solution – one that could redefine how we fight infection. So, let’s take a step back to explore the history of light therapy and why it holds so much promise in the future of healthcare.
Light therapy, also known as phototherapy, uses different wavelengths of light, measured in nanometres (nm), to interact with the body. Each wavelength penetrates at different depths, targeting specific tissues and health conditions.
Long before modern medicine, ancient civilisations recognised the power of light. The Egyptians, Greeks and Romans all used sunlight to promote healing, believing it could speed up recovery and strengthen the body’s defences. Some Egyptian temples even featured sunrooms designed to harness the benefits of natural light.
Scientific exploration began in 1672 when Isaac Newton’s prism experiments showed that light is made up of different wavelengths, laying the foundation for future light therapies. By the 1800s, Friedrich Wilhelm Herschel’s discovery of infrared radiation and the later identification of ultraviolet light deepened our understanding.
In the 1850s, Florence Nightingale (a pioneer of modern nursing) was a strong advocate for light therapy. She insisted that hospitals maximise natural light and fresh air, noting that patients in bright, well-ventilated spaces tended to recover faster.
A pivotal moment came in 1877 when researchers Downes and Blunt demonstrated that sunlight could inhibit bacterial growth, marking one of the earliest scientific recognitions of light’s therapeutic potential.
With Thomas Edison’s invention of the commercial lightbulb in 1879, the transition towards artificial light-based treatments gained momentum. By 1893, the medical community had begun exploring light’s therapeutic effects, uncovering how different wavelengths could target specific health concerns.
In 1903, Danish physician Niels Finsman received a Nobel Prize in Medicine for using ultraviolet (UV) light to treat Lupus Vulgaris (a form of tuberculosis). His work proved that UV light could eliminate harmful bacteria without damaging human tissue, paving the way for modern light therapy.
The 1910s saw UV light introduced for disinfecting water and sterilising medical equipment, a practice that gained widespread use by the 1950s. However, the discovery of antibiotics in 1928 shifted the focus of infection treatment, leading to a decline in antibacterial light therapy.
By the 1960s, advancements in light-emitting diode (LED) technology allowed more control and precision in light therapy treatments. Blue light therapy emerged as an effective treatment for jaundice in babies, while early research into red and near-infrared light therapy (low-level laser therapy) showed potential for wound healing and reducing inflammation.
In the 1980s, UV light therapy became a standard treatment for skin conditions like psoriasis and eczema. Then, in 1984, bright light therapy was proven as an effective treatment for seasonal affective disorder (SAD) and other mood disorders.
The 1990s saw NASA’s research demonstrate that red light could accelerate wound healing and plant growth in space, boosting global interest in light therapy. In the 2000s, blue light therapy emerged as a drug-free alternative for treating acne and other bacterial skin conditions, reinforcing the potential of light-based treatments beyond traditional pharmaceuticals.
The 2010s saw a surge in the popularity of red light therapy for skin care and muscle recovery, making advanced treatments more accessible through at-home solutions.
In 2019, The World Health Organisation declared antimicrobial resistance (AMR) as a top global health challenge, intensifying the search for alternatives to conventional antibiotics. As the 2020s unfold, antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (aPDT) and targeted light treatments continue to show promise in combating infections without contributing to antibiotic resistance.
Looking ahead into 2025 and beyond, UVISA will launch human clinical trials using UVA and blue light to treat vaginal infections, marking a vital step forward in the fight against AMR.
The discovery of antibiotics in the 20th century pushed light therapy to the sidelines. But today, we’re seeing the consequences of over-relying on antibiotics.
Overuse and misuse of antibiotics have led to bacteria evolving resistance faster than new drugs can be developed, making once-treatable infections increasingly difficult to manage. The World Health Organisation declared antimicrobial resistance (AMR) as one of the top global health challenges of our time, contributing to almost 5 million deaths in 2019.
This growing threat has sparked a renewed interest in alternative treatments, particularly light therapy. Unlike antibiotics, which bacteria can outsmart over time, targeted light therapy makes it difficult for microbes to develop resistance.
When harmful bacteria are exposed to specific wavelengths of light, they undergo extreme stress – triggering a reaction that effectively destroys them while leaving healthy human cells unharmed. This makes light therapy a powerful tool in the fight against AMR, offering a smarter, more sustainable way to treat infections.
At UVISA, we’re using light therapy to build a healthier future that doesn’t rely on antibiotics to combat infections, starting with vaginal health. Our technology uses precisely calibrated UVA and blue light to target harmful bacteria while preserving the vaginal microbiome.
Traditional antibiotic and antifungal treatments wipe out both helpful and harmful microbes, disrupting the vaginal microbiome and triggering repeat infections. In contrast, our light-based solution targets infection but preserves the helpful lactobacilli (your microbiome’s natural defense mechanism). Our research shows that just 30 minutes of targeted light exposure can significantly reduce symptom-causing microbes while maintaining a healthy microbiome.
In 2025, we’re set to begin human clinical trials to validate the safety and efficacy of our technology for vaginal infections. These trials mark a crucial step toward introducing a solution that could redefine infection treatment and help curb AMR on a global scale.
The history of light therapy is one of intuition, innovation and rediscovery. What started as an ancient practice has evolved into a sophisticated medical technology with the power to address one of the greatest public health challenges of our time.
As AMR continues to threaten modern medicine, it’s time to rethink how we treat infections. At UVISA, we’re proud to be at the forefront of this movement. Light therapy isn’t just a part of medical history – it’s the future of infection treatment. And that future is already taking shape.
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