RA OPTICS
How Our Lenses Work
Both our lenses are infused with a scientifically proven, proprietary mix of pigments that give the Day Lenses their signature yellow tint and Night Lenses their red tint.
Our Day Lenses are designed to block 95% of the most damaging range of artificial blue light, whilst allowing the beneficial colors needed for perception, functionality, and health to pass through.
Our Night Lenses block 100% of the artificial blue and green light up to the highest level shown to be harmful to your health and disrupting to your sleep patterns and circadian rhythm.
How Do We Improve Our Circadian Rhythm?
By Supporting Your Hormones.
The circadian rhythm is your internal body clock, controlling the sleep/wake cycle and other essential functions like the regulation of your hormones, melatonin and cortisol. Blue light directly impacts these hormones, dysregulating their levels and impacting your sleep, thereby your health. We are exposing ourselves to this artificial light day and night, from screens we stare at, to lights we live under. If you want to maximize your health, you need to protect yourself day and night from this harmful light.
Eliminate Harmful Blue Light Both Day & Night!
Why day & night lenses?
Blue light from the sun is healthy and provides the naturally balanced, full spectrum, whereas digital devices and light bulbs emit a distorted spectrum of light - high in blue and green and deficient in the healing red and infrared light. As a result, it’s important to spend daily time outdoors to absorb the natural blue light, along with the other colors, and block your exposure to artificial blue light, both day and at night.
During the day – Our day lenses have been expertly developed to block 95% of blue light and are specifically designed to eliminate the unnatural spike of blue light emitted by computer screens and devices.
After sunset – For restful sleep, you need to block out all blue light which negatively affects the release of melatonin, your sleep hormone. Our night lenses go to the next level, blocking 100% of the harmful blue & green light that is being emitted by digital devices and most indoor lighting.
Our Mission
Throughout the last century, researchers and scientists looked deeper into biology to gain a meaningful understanding of how life really works—to treat and prevent illness, but also to uncover who and what we really are.
They discovered that, at our core, we are electromagnetic beings—beings of light. Our organs, cells, and tissues communicate with light and electricity; our cells are directed and organized by an invisible field of energy and information (which remains constant while all of our cells change); and that light energy is the power source for our entire life. It is who we really are.
At Ra, we believe that you are greater than you think, more powerful than you know, and more unlimited than you could even dream.
Our mission is to create products that illuminate the unlimited power within you, so that you can realize your greatest potential.
The highest quality frames
We house our lenses in exceptional Italian-made acetate, derived from renewable resources. The benefits are that our frames are lightweight, durable, less harmful to the environment and far superior to cheap quality, petroleum-based plastic frames most glasses are made of.
Wearing Ra Optics glasses improves your health and sleep quality while our frames are styled by eyewear designers so you can look good while feeling better!
Protect Yourself from Harmful Artificial Light.
Restore Your Body, Mind, and Spirit.
Share Your Full Potential with The World.
Infrared therapy is widely used in the fields of medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine, and in autoimmune diseases, to name a few. The therapy is safe and natural, which enables it to be offered as an alternative treatment for various health conditions like muscle pain, joint stiffness, and arthritis, to name a few.
Infrared therapy has many roles in the human body. These include detoxification, pain relief, reduction of muscle tension, relaxation, improved circulation, weight loss, skin purification, lowered side effects of diabetes, boosting of the immune system and lowering of blood pressure.
What are the Health Benefits of Infrared Therapy?
Cardiovascular Health
One of the key health benefits of infrared therapy is improvement in cardiovascular health. Infrared light increases the production of nitric oxide, a vital signaling molecule that is important for the health of blood vessels. This molecule helps relax the arteries and prevents blood from clotting and clumping in the vessels. Aside from these, it also combats free radicals to prevent oxidative stress and regulate blood pressure.
Nitric oxide is essential in improving blood circulation, which provides more oxygen and nutrients to injured tissues. Thus, infrared light hastens wound healing and stimulates the regeneration of injured tissues, reducing inflammation and pain.
Pain and Inflammation
Infrared therapy is an effective and safe remedy for pain and inflammation. It can penetrate deep through the layers of the skin, to the muscles and bones. Since infrared therapy enhances and improves circulation in the skin and other parts of the body, it can bring oxygen and nutrients to injured tissues, promoting healing. It helps ease pain, relieve inflammation, and protect against oxidative stress.
Muscular Injuries
Infrared therapy improves the action of the mitochondria within cells, thus triggering the growth and repair of new muscles cells and tissues. In other words, infrared light can hasten the repair process after a muscle injury.
Detoxification
Infrared therapy can be applied through saunas. Detoxifications are important since they may strengthen the immune system. At the same time, detoxification aid biochemical processes to function properly, improving food digestion. In infrared saunas, the body’s core temperature increases, leading to detoxification at the cellular level.
Potential Cancer Cure
Infrared therapy is a potentially viable cancer treatment. Studies show significant activation of nanoparticles when they are exposed to infrared radiation, rendering them highly toxic to surrounding cancer cells. One such modality is photoimmunotherapy, using a conjugated antibody- photoabsorber complex that binds to cancer cells.
Killing Cancer Cells with the Help of Infrared Light - Photoimmunotherapy
Skin exposure to UVB light induces a skin-brain-gonad axis and sexual behavior (Cell Reports)
Skin Exposure to Ultraviolet B Rapidly Activates Systemic Neuroendocrine and Immunosuppressive Response (Photochemistry and Photobiology)
Light exposure during sleep impairs cardiometabolic function (Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences)
Light-emitting diodes in dermatology: A systematic review of randomized controlled trials (Lasers in Surgery and Medicine)
Low-level laser (light) therapy (LLLT) in skin: stimulating, healing, restoring (Seminars in Cutaneous Medicine and Surgery)
Weeklong improved colour contrasts sensitivity after single 670 nm exposures associated with enhanced mitochondrial function (Scientific Reports)
Red light: A novel, non-pharmacological intervention to promote alertness in shift workers (Journal of Safety Research)
Gamma Entrainment Binds Higher-Order Brain Regions and Offers Neuroprotection(Neuron)
The sun's rays provide warmth and light that enhance your general feeling of well-being and stimulate blood circulation. Some UV radiation is essential to the body as it stimulates the production of vitamin D. Vitamin D has an important function in increasing calcium and phosphorus absorption from food and plays a crucial role in skeletal development, immune function and blood cell formation. There is no doubt that a little sunlight is good for you! But 5 to 15 minutes of casual sun exposure of hands, face and arms two to three times a week during the summer months is sufficient to keep your vitamin D levels high. Closer to the equator, where UV levels are higher, even shorter periods of exposure suffice.
Hence, for most people, vitamin D deficiency is unlikely. Possible exceptions are those who have very limited sun exposure such as the housebound elderly, or those with heavily pigmented skin who live in high-latitude countries where UV levels are relatively low. Recognising the need for vitamin D, many countries have introduced supplements into common food like flour, cereals and milk. Naturally occurring vitamin D is very rare in our diet, it is present mainly in fatty fish and cod liver oil.
UV radiation has been used to successfully treat a number of diseases, including rickets, psoriasis, eczema and jaundice. This therapeutic use cannot eliminate the negative side-effects of UV radiation but treatment takes place under medical supervision to ensure that the benefits outweigh the risks.
Vitiligo
Vitiligo is a patchy loss of skin pigmentation caused by destruction of the pigment-producing cells called melanocytes. It is probably an autoimmune disease and can be treated by PUVA therapy. In PUVA treatment, the patient is given a drug called psoralen to make the skin more sensitive to UV and is subsequently exposed to UVA radiation. The therapy is fairly successful but increases the patient's risk of developing squamous cell carcinoma, the most common type of skin cancer.
Despite these important roles and medical applications, the harmful effects of exposure to UV radiation usually far outweigh its benefits. In addition to the well-known short-term effects of overexposure to the sun such as sunburn or allergic reactions, long-term effects pose a life-long hazard to your health. Overexposure to UV radiation affects your skin, your eyes and probably your immune system. Many people forget that the effects of exposure to UV radiation accumulate over a lifetime. Your sun exposure behaviour now determines your chances of developing skin cancer or cataracts later in life! Skin cancer incidence is strongly correlated with the duration and frequency of sun exposure.
Psoriasis
Psoriasis is a disease which produces sores and scaling of the skin. It affects 2 to 3 per cent of the population and is probably an autoimmune disease; a disease where your immune system attacks your own cells. Among the treatments for psoriasis PUVA therapy is one of the most popular and successful. The patient is given a drug called psoralen to make the skin more sensitive to UV and is subsequently exposed to UVA radiation. This is repeated several times in the course of treatment. Unfortunately, PUVA treatment increases the patient's risk of developing squamous cell carcinoma, the most common type of skin cancer.
Rickets
Rickets causes a child's bones to soften because they are not getting enough calcium. One common reason for this is a lack of vitamin D. Vitamin D increases calcium absorption from food and transports the ion from the gut into the bone. UV radiation exposure stimulates the production of vitamin D. However, today, most people receive enough vitamin D from supplements in the food they eat.
Lupus vulgaris
Lupus vulgaris is tuberculosis of the skin. It used to be common especially in northern Europe during the winter. The disease produces large ulcers on the face and neck, which are difficult to cure and often leave bad scars. A Danish doctor called Neils Finzen developed a UVB lamp that was so successful in curing the disease that it won him the Nobel prize in 1903. Today, Lupus is very rare and is usually treated successfully with antibiotics.
Potential Benefits of Red Light Therapy
Research into red light therapy indicates a variety of possible benefits:
Increased energy and improved moods
Enhanced muscle recovery and performance
Wound healing
Anti-inflammatory effects
Circadian rhythm support
Skin rejuvenation and anti-aging effects
Hair growth
How Red Light Therapy Works
Red light therapy exposes the body to red and near-infrared light wavelengths.
These wavelengths can penetrate deeply into the skin and underlying tissues.
When the light is absorbed by cells, it interacts with the mitochondria and cytochrome c oxidase.
This helps increase adenosine triphosphate (ATP) production and oxygen utilization.
ATP is the main source of cellular energy. This boost in metabolism and energy production can produce various beneficial effects throughout the body.
At the cellular level, red light exposure helps stimulate cell signaling pathways and activates transcription factors. This can stimulate collagen production, modulate inflammation, accelerate wound healing, and more.
Red light is also believed to positively affect nitric oxide signaling and impact reactive oxygen species involved in cell damage and aging.
Enhancing nitric oxide helps improve blood flow and vasodilation.
By targeting mitochondria and specific signaling molecules, red light therapy promotes cellular energy, repair processes, and healthy cell function.
This makes it a promising therapy for wound healing, skin health, tissue repair, hair growth and regeneration, anti-aging, and more.
benefits of using red light therapy masks include:
Promotes collagen production: Red light therapy helps stimulate the production of collagen, a protein that is essential for skin elasticity, firmness, and hydration. This can help reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, as well as improve skin texture and tone.
Improves skin tone and texture: Red light therapy can help reduce the appearance of scars, age spots, and other discoloration, resulting in a more even skin tone and smoother texture.
Reduces inflammation: Red light therapy has anti-inflammatory properties, which can help calm redness, swelling, and other signs of inflammation in the skin.
Speeds up healing: Red light therapy can help speed up the healing process of wounds, cuts, and other skin injuries by increasing blood flow and promoting the production of new skin cells.
Increases circulation: Red light therapy can help improve blood circulation in the skin, which can provide more oxygen and nutrients to the skin cells, resulting in healthier-looking skin.
Non-invasive and safe: Red light therapy is a non-invasive, painless, and safe treatment that can be used on all skin types and ages. It does not cause any damage to the skin and does not have any side effects.
Understanding Blue Light
Blue Light - What are the benefits?
Blue light is actually highly important to our lives and has many benefits.
✓ Sets the body’s natural clock, our circadian rhythm
✓ Stimulates the release of cortisol, which promotes wakefulness and a healthy response to stress.
✓ Boosts our alertness, short-term focus, and makes us productive
Blue LED light therapy, often called photodynamic therapy, involves using specific wavelengths of blue light to target and treat various skin conditions and health concerns. It is based on the principle that certain wavelengths of light can penetrate the skin’s surface and interact with cells and tissues, stimulating a range of therapeutic effects.
Blue light therapy involves exposure to high-intensity blue light, which has been shown to have antibacterial properties. Blue light therapy is often used to treat skin conditions such as acne, as it can help to reduce inflammation and kill bacteria on the skin.
Is it harmful?
Yes, if we are exposed to the artificial version regularly. Artificial blue light tricks our brain into believing it’s still daytime and should be awake not asleep. This is harmful for many reasons.
✓ Disrupts our ability to get the restful sleep our body requires.
✓ Our mitochondria, the cell’s powerhouse, can’t properly recharge and repair.
✓ Mitochondria dysfunction leads to critical health issues such as cancer, Alzheimer’s, obesity, diabetes, autism, autoimmune diseases, depression, and others.
✓ Staring at a digital screen strains the eyes, leading to blurry vision, headaches, and difficulty focusing.
How Does Blue LED Light Therapy Work?
The science behind blue LED therapy is fascinating. Blue light has a wavelength that falls within the visible light spectrum, typically around 415 to 470 nanometers. When the skin absorbs this light, it triggers a chemical reaction within the bacteria responsible for acne, particularly Propionibacterium acnes (P. acnes). This reaction effectively destroys the bacteria, reducing inflammation and preventing future breakouts.
Blue LED Light Therapy Benefits
1. Acne Treatment
One of the most well-known purposes of blue LED light therapy is its effectiveness in treating acne. Blue light targets the bacteria responsible for causing acne (P.acnes bacteria). Interestingly, acne-causing bacteria emit a photosensitizer which makes them exceptionally sensitive to light and vulnerable to damage by specific wavelengths. When exposed to blue light, these bacteria produce less of the inflammatory chemicals that exacerbate acne, ultimately reducing breakouts and inflammation. Blue light treatments work best on acne when combined with red and near-infrared (NIR) therapy.
2. Collagen Production
Blue LED light therapy stimulates fibroblasts, the cells responsible for collagen production in the skin. Collagen, often called the skin’s structural foundation, is a protein that plays a pivotal role in maintaining skin’s elasticity, firmness, and youthful appearance. As we age, however, the natural production of collagen in our bodies gradually diminishes. By stimulating collagen production, blue light therapy can help reduce the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, and even scars.
3. Wound Healing
Blue LED light therapy has shown promise in accelerating wound healing. It can enhance the body’s natural healing processes by increasing blood flow to the affected area and stimulating the production of collagen and fibroblasts, essential for tissue repair.
Hemoglobin, a red protein responsible for transporting oxygen in our blood, shows exceptional absorption of wavelengths shorter than 600 nm. This suggests that blue light can support transport systems in the body as hemoglobin transports oxygen, immune system substances, and nutrients throughout the body and wounds, allowing them to heal faster.
4. Reducing Skin Infections and Inflammation
Scientists explain that the wavelength range of 402–420 nanometres has the most effective antimicrobial spectral range. Blue LED light is lethal to many species of bacteria and fungi.
Moreover, blue light suppresses the cells that cause inflammation in the skin. Throughout several sessions, these cells calm down, and the physical symptoms become much less visible. Therefore, it can effectively treat eczema, psoriasis, and other chronic inflammatory skin diseases. It helps soothe irritated skin and reduce redness, providing relief for those with sensitive skin.
5. Improving Mood and Sleep
These wavelengths are easily absorbed by our light-sensitive retinas, which is the key to a very important function of blue LED light: helping to regulate your circadian rhythm. The internal clock in our brain includes physical, mental, and behavioral changes that follow a 24-hour cycle and primarily respond to light and dark. Exposure to blue LED light can help regulate melatonin production, a hormone that governs our sleep-wake cycle.
All colors of the rainbow affect the sleep-wake cycle, but none more so than blue light. Among the visible light spectrum, blue wave lights have the biggest impact on our sleep-wake cycle. When blue light interacts with photoreceptors in the eyes, it sends a signal to “wake up,” increasing alertness and mental sharpness.
Blue light therapy has also been shown to have potential benefits for other health conditions, including:
Sleep disorders: Blue light therapy has been shown to be effective for regulating circadian rhythms and improving sleep quality.
Seasonal affective disorder (SAD): Blue light therapy has been shown to be effective for treating SAD, a type of depression that occurs during the winter months.
Cognitive function: Blue light therapy has been shown to improve cognitive function, including memory and attention.
Dental health: Blue light therapy has been shown to be effective for reducing bacteria in the mouth and preventing gum disease.
What are the Risks Linked to Infrared Therapy?
Each day, humans are immersed in infrared radiation from the sun in the form of heat. In fact, infrared saunas are in-demand today, but experts warn of possible health risks. Thermal or heat injuries can happen, depending on the wavelength of the infrared light. Thermal injury can occur even without pain. Also, pregnant women, people with heart diseases, and those who are sick should never undergo infrared therapy.
Moreover, experts warn against using infrared therapy to treat chronic diseases while neglecting the use of medications and recommended treatment procedures. Though infrared therapy promises many health benefits, its study is far from complete. At present, therefore, it should be considered an adjunct to medical treatment, and other regimens should be continued as prescribed.
SOURCES & RELATED CONTENT
SUPPORT RESEARCH & CASE STUDIES
Bryan Johnson Red Light Therapy: Recommendations and Benefits
Radiation: The known health effects of ultraviolet radiation
Skin exposure to UVB light induces a skin-brain-gonad axis and sexual behavior (Cell Reports)
Skin Exposure to Ultraviolet B Rapidly Activates Systemic Neuroendocrine and Immunosuppressive Response (Photochemistry and Photobiology)
Light exposure during sleep impairs cardiometabolic function (Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences)
Light-emitting diodes in dermatology: A systematic review of randomized controlled trials (Lasers in Surgery and Medicine)
Low-level laser (light) therapy (LLLT) in skin: stimulating, healing, restoring (Seminars in Cutaneous Medicine and Surgery)
Weeklong improved colour contrasts sensitivity after single 670 nm exposures associated with enhanced mitochondrial function (Scientific Reports)
Red light: A novel, non-pharmacological intervention to promote alertness in shift workers (Journal of Safety Research)
Gamma Entrainment Binds Higher-Order Brain Regions and Offers Neuroprotection(Neuron)