Light therapy glasses are a seriously underrated biohacking health tool. But which one is really worth buying?
In this guide, we’ll go over all the scientific data we’ve gathered on light therapy glasses so you can make an informed decision on which one is right for you.
Testing the Light Therapy Glasses
We’ve reviewed the AYO+, Luminette 3, Pegasi 2, Propeaq, retimer 2, and retimer 3 glasses, as well as the Luminette Drive, and in this section, we’ll be going over the statistics from each of these in order to determine some winners!
Our Testing Methodology
To test and compare all of the light therapy glasses on the market we built a test mannequin! We call him Henry.
Henry is equipped with a lab-grade photo-spectrometer, which means we are able to very accurately measure the light coming from these glasses right where the eye is!
Cool, I know.
So what did we test for?
Lux or Brightness
The first thing you might be wondering is, just how bright are these things?
If you’ve looked into SAD lamps at all you’ve probably heard of lux, which is basically just how bright a light source is at your eyes.
It’s often said that a light therapy device must hit 10,000 lux to be effective, but this is highly misleading and lux isn’t even the best metric to use.
With that being said, however, how do our glasses stack up to each other?
As you can see, the Luminette 3 is far brighter than all the other glasses, especially on its medium and high settings. This is because the Luminette 3 uses white light unlike all of the other glasses.
This isn’t necessarily a good thing though! While the Luminette 3 is one of the most effective pairs we’ve tested (on its highest setting) some people do report it being a bit too bright.
As you’ll see, the AYO and Drive devices emit a pretty low lux level compared to the Luminette 3, so why do we recommend them?
This is where it becomes important to use a better metric than lux, one that’s a bit more focused on the circadian system, so what is that?
Circadian Light
Certain parts of the visible light spectrum are more effective at activating the IPRGCs (intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells) in your eyes.
While this is an oversimplification, these are the cells that tell the body that it’s daytime.
To better tell which light sources activate the human circadian system, the LHRC has developed a new algorithmic calculation that they call Circadian Light.
Using their Circadian Stimulus Calculator, we’re able to compare the circadian light from each of our glasses to see which ones are more effective.
Even though the AYO only emits up to 150 lux, it’s on par with the Luminette 3 on its highest setting!
How is this so? Because the AYO emits blue light instead of white light, and blue light is far more effective at activating the circadian system in the eyes than any other color of light.
This is why the AYO is one of our favorites, but because it’s so effective at such a low lux output, making it very visually comfortable.
You might be thinking, okay, but what does circadian light even mean? Let’s translate this metric into a usable format…
How Effective Are Light Therapy Glasses
The CS calculator I mentioned before has one more feature! It tells us how long we should be exposed to a light source before we hit their recommended minimum dose of circadian-stimulating light.
Let’s take a look at how much time each device will take:
You can see that the Propeaq and Pegasi 2 are just not even close to effective. And it’s not really worth using the Luminette 3 on its lowest setting.
I’ve also decided that even though the Re-Timer is technically effective, its light source and form factor are annoying, which you can read about in our review if you’d like, and the AYO and Luminette 3 are both better anyway.
Let’s compare our two favorites so you can decide which one might be best for you!
AYO vs Luminette 3
These are both effective, but which one should you get?
Physical Comfort and Form Factor
The AYO wins here. It’s much lighter at 32g while the Luminette 3 weighs around 53g. The overall weight of the AYO is also more evenly distributed while the Luminette is more front-heavy.
This means that I can literally whip my head around as hard as I can with the AYOs on, and they don’t budge. But the Luminette comes flying off.
So if you’re hoping to do some early morning running or exercise the AYO is the best choice.
Visual Comfort
Because of its color, the AYO is much dimmer and thus it’s far more visually comfortable.
Since the AYO is a lot dimmer, it’s also easier to see your surroundings in a dimly lit environment, while the Luminette will blind you even on its lowest setting if there aren’t other lights on in the room.
Some people find the Luminette to be too bright, some on the other hand might actually prefer that feeling.
If you have photosensitivity at all, I’d go with the AYO.
Effectiveness
The newer AYO+ is a bit more effective than the Luminette 3 on it’s highest setting according to its circadian light output.
If you’re looking for a more natural-feeling light source, however, the Luminette 3 would be better.
Prescription Glasses
I found that both the AYO and Luminette worked quite well with glasses. The nose pieces do push the glasses out just a bit so it’s not perfect but it’ll do for the 30 minutes or so you’re using them.
Keep in mind that both the AYO and Luminette rely on blue light to be effective, so any blue light blocking film or tint to your glasses will reduce their effectiveness!
Carrying Cases
Both cases are about the same size and are going to be useful for travel.
The AYO case is definitely more heavy-duty and has a little room inside for a USB cable and a small charging brick.
The Luminette case is a little softer and has a bit more room inside for accessories if you need them.
The Best Light Therapy Glasses
If you’d like to learn a little bit more about our favorite picks, that’s what this section is for!
1. AYO – Best Overall
The AYO is our current favorite for its low lux, high circadian light output, and it’s lightweight comfortable form factor.
The AYO emits a diffuse narrowband blue light at 463nm, which is what makes it such an effective light therapy device.
The AYO turns on automatically when opened and offers three brightness settings; low, medium, and high.
The new AYO+ also lets you turn on a red light mode which projects about 40 µW/cm² of 655nm light into your eyes following a light session!
AYO has done their homework, as it turns out that early morning red light therapy to the eyes for only a few minutes has been shown in multiple studies now to improve eyesight!
Here’s one study that used only 8 µW/cm² of 670nm light, and even then they saw improvements in mitochondrial function.
Another reason to grab a pair of these!
AYO Light Therapy Glasses
Pros
Cons
2. Luminette 3 – Most Natural
If you’re looking for an effective and bright pair of light therapy glasses, look no further than the Luminette 3!
The Luminette 3 utilizes a bright blue-enriched white light to wake you up:
When placed correctly, the refractive hologram places a rainbow of light across your eyes, allowing the bulk of the white light to reflect off of your cheeks.
This hologram system helps to cut down on the brightness of the Luminette, it’s still quite bright, however!
To use the Luminette 3, you’ll need to adjust the nose piece until the blue band of the rainbow shines across the bottom part of your eye.
After that, just press the power button to cycle through brightness settings and you’re good to go!
Luminette 3 Light Therapy Glasses
Pros
Cons
Use code OPTIMIZE10 for 10% off!
3. Luminette Drive – Best Alternative
While it isn’t a pair of glasses, I thought to include the Luminette Drive on this list because it’s still technically an alternative to a stationary desk light therapy lamp.
If you don’t have time to sit down in front of a lamp in the morning and find yourself on the road a lot in the dark winter months, the Drive is an awesome and effective product well worth the investment.
To use the Drive, you just attach it to your visor and angle it so that it’s shining down on your eyes from above.
Luminette recommends that you change the brightness setting depending on your distance to the Drive:
- Low: <10 cm (<4 in.)
- Medium: 10 – 20 cm (4-8 in.)
- High: >20 cm (>8 in.)
It does a good job of providing ample circadian light without being too glaring or distracting while driving on darker roads.
Luminette Drive
Cons
Pros
Use code OPTIMIZE10 for 10% off!
Frequently Asked Questions
How to Use Light Therapy Glasses
To use light therapy glasses, you just need to put them on and turn them on for the recommended time.
The time needed for an effective dose will depend on the brightness setting and device, but a typical session is anywhere from 20 to 45 minutes.
Light Therapy Glasses vs Lamp
Light therapy glasses work the same way as lamps do, in that they shine bright blue, green, or white light into your eyes.
Glasses can be more effective than lamps because it’s easier to maintain an effective distance from the light source.
If you’re looking for effective lamps, check out our light therapy lamp database!
Are Light Therapy Glasses Safe?
Yes, light therapy glasses are very safe to use. They don’t contain any UV light that could damage your eyes.
Even the glasses that utilize blue light don’t contain any short wavelength light that could damage your eyes.
Are Light Therapy Glasses Effective and Do They Work?
Yes, light therapy glasses definitely work! Many of them have gone through clinical trial testing and have been shown to significantly reduce drowsiness, sleep phase disorders like insomnia, and things like winter depression and seasonal affective disorder.
In fact, glasses can in some cases be more effective simply because the compliance rate is higher for some people, and you’re always at the effective range, unlike with a lamp that you may turn away from time and time again.
Such thorough information, wow! Do you know why their is such a large price difference between buying the Ayo+ on amazon vs their home website?
I’m not sure… could be Amazon is selling the older model perhaps? You’d probably have to reach out to them about it though.
Thanks so much for your reviews on these glasses, it’s really helpful! Maybe a stupid question, but if you’re not interested in the red light option, would there still be a reason to buy the ayo+ instead of ayolite? For me there would be an €80 price difference, so trying to find out whether that’s worth it. For example, do you know where the ayolite would stand in the graph of circadian light and the graph of minutes to minimum dose? And does being able to choose intensity really make a difference in effectiveness, or would having it on for 30 mins give the same effect whether you’re using the ayolite or ayo+ on any setting? I am currently trying out Luminette, on medium/high setting but finding it quite bright even with lights on and curtains open for extra light, and since it’s only going to get darker outside in the mornings, I want to give the ayo a try as well now that I’m still able to send the Luminette back. So trying to decide whether to order ayo+ or ayolite!
Not a stupid question! 🙂
Hmmm, the AYO+ is definitely capable of getting brighter on its highest setting and thus is more effective. However yeah the Ayolite should still be worth it even on its slightly lower output.
You may even prefer it since it’ll be a little less bright, however then it’s worth considering that the AYO+ on low is a little dimmer still, so having those options might be nice.
Overall I’d say if you’re just lookin for a dimmer option to the Luminette and don’t want to shell out the extra, go with the AYO lite 🙂
Thank you so much for your reply! I ordered the ayo+ to be able to try out the different brightness settings. I really liked the less bright light on all settings, but unfortunately they didn’t fit me well (both a little too wide, and one of my ears is slightly lower than the other, and due to the too wide part I couldn’t get it to fit in a way that I could correct for that height difference). So although I still find the Luminette 3 quite bright, it does fit a lot better for me – since it’s a bit tighter, I can put one of the legs a tiny bit higher to correct for the ear-height-difference. So I kept that one and sent the ayo+ back. If it would have fitted just as well as Luminette, I definitely would have kept the ayo+!
You’re welcome Carolien.
Bummer about the sizing issue :/ Well at least you found a way to make the Luminette work for you 🙂 Hopefully it serves you well this season!
I’m reading, in the Amazon comments, that the Ayo+ is practically useless unless you shell out $60 for the app… which is buggy & doesn’t work well. This has me leaning towards the Luminette 3. But I DO really like the red light feature of the Ayo+. I was curious as to your thoughts. Is the Ayo+, in fact, useless without the app? And would I be able to turn on the red light mode if I didn’t have the app?
Yeah AYO has been a bit weird about the App. Though I will say I’ve never had an issue personally with it. I don’t think it’s useless per-se but maybe if you bought without the app you could message them and see what it would take to get access to change the settings? If not you could always go with the Luminette and get a red light of some kind? 🙂
Hi Derek,
I’m choosing between the 2 pairs of glasses here. I have a question. If the Ayo+ is connecting to your phone by Bluetooth surely it would be constantly emitting EMF’s as much as the Luminette 3 would it not?
Hi Sharon,
You’d think so, but that’s not what I saw. Last I checked, the AYO+ only emits when changes are made, very momentarily. While the Luminette 3 (for some unknown reason) was emitting nonstop while on. So if EMF is a concern the AYO+ is much better.
thank you so much for your help and your quick reply xx
You’re very welcome!
What is the flicker information (flicker index, flicker depth, and flicker risk) for these light therapy glasses?
I am unfortunately very sensitive to flicker, and I’m worried about flicker from a light source so close to the eyes. Thank you!
Good question Emma, when I first reviewed these that wasn’t as big of a focus. I do recall the Luminette 3 was completely flicker free on all settings (I just forget to save the data) and the AYOs do flicker somewhat but it’s a very high frequency i.e. 4000 Hz. So probably not much to worry about with either one of these. The retimer 3 I just tried out are also flicker free.
Appreciate your thoroughness!
Having used other brand of lights / dawn simulators over the years for SAD, hands down the light glasses make compliance a breeze, so would like to go in that direction.
Questions:
1. Durability of the plastic frames: the LEDs are rated for up to 10,000 hours of light. BUT users complained that the frames were not at all durable. I get that the lighter the frame the better the user comfort, BUT . . . this Amazon review from March 2023 by Lisa sums it up: plastic frames are garbage and don’t last.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/customer-reviews/RWVPRRQX6XZ30/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_ttl?ie=UTF8&ASIN=B0B88BCDXQ
2. It is difficult to find consistently accurate and transparent info about need for and cost of the phone app — it took reading MULTIPLE articles to piece together the full story. It appears that glasses work in a basic mode without app but to use advanced features app is required.
Hmmm, then I find out the app is $60 USD. THEN I eventually find out the app is $60 USD PER YEAR! Then I discover complaints about how buggy app is (although it does seem to be improving) . . . and Play Store does not indicate there is a subscription fee.
Re: User comments reporting that glasses only last a couple of years due to frames cracking: I am willing to spend more on a quality product but I also expect durability in return. Both of the above issues are beginning to seem like a money grab by AYO for an otherwise quality product that doesn’t last that long due to the Achilles Heel of the cracking frames. Not a great return on investment for folks on a retirement income . . .
Thoughts?
I agree! They’re quite handy.
1. That’s odd! I’ve used my quite a bit and I’ve never had a crack, but I suppose they might.
2. I like the AYO but I agree the app isn’t worth $60 per year as it stands, I think changing the settings and canceling might be the best route for now until they come up with a better option?
HOWEVER. The Luminette 3 and retimer 3 both work as well and aren’t terrible choices! They’re a bit brighter (higher lux) but they definitely work, so you can always go with one of those if the oddities of the AYO app stuff turns you off.
Thanks for response!
Just out of curiosity, how long have you had your AYO unit? Has frame shown any signs of cracking? (Amazon Lisa, even while claiming to treat her units with kid gloves, had 2 units in a row crack, which to me is a red flag having to do with either design and/or manufacturing QC).
Have any of your readers complained about the AYO frame cracking?
Do you have any sense from your readers how many years their units lasted?
I realize that any brand / model of light therapy glasses is not going to be as durable as a light box. So it’s a tradeoff between durability and useability.
Even if the AYO I might potentially purchase might not crack, there’s still the issue of the app.
After I sent my comment, I researched the Luminette 3 and am strongly leaning towards it, but will take a look at retimer 3.
Thanks!
I have had mine for a little over a year? I’ve exercises the hinges hundreds of times, and no this is the first time I’ve heard of it actually.
And yes that’s true, you have to pay for the lifetime access if you don’t want to worry about paying yearly, which is about $240 right now with the black Friday sale, definitely still more than the Luminette!
My Ayo+ arm broke off in less than 2 months. BUT ALSO: I emailed the company, and they had warranty replacement in the mail the same day. I appreciated that. My head is very big/wide, and it stresses the arms some. From the above, I suspect I couldn’t even wear the Luminette (narrower). I will be very careful not to break the replacement Ayo, which is REALLY WORKING for my SAD this year, best help I’ve found after a years’ long journey.
Re cost, it was cheapest on Amazon, but unclear whether the app was included. I emailed company asking if the Amazon version was latest greatest, and what about the app? They confirmed that Amazon is just another of their own selling channels, and it’s the latest, and they GAVE me an unlimited app license.
So I’m super happy with the device and the company.
Hey Todd, I appreciate you sharing that! That’s awesome to hear it’s helping and that AYO is stepping up like that, makes me happier to recommend them!
Best of luck with your giant head! I have a slightly larger than normal head myself, so I feel your pain 😆
Hi Derek,
I’m wondering if you can boost effectiveness by using blue light blocking glasses in the evening in conjunction with light therapy in the morning.
Thank you.
Yes! If you’re being exposed to any kind of blue/green wavelength light in the evening this can suppress melatonin onset and delay your circadian rhythm. So wearing blue blockers would help.
Is there a reason that the therapy glasses are so much more expensive than the lamps? I am looking for a budget option and could see the glasses as easier to use but the Lampu is so much more reasonable for I assume the same benefit (provided I use it consistently)
Yeah I think the glasses tend to be more expensive because they’re a more niche product category, that’s usually how it is with most things. If you’re sitting within 1.5 feet of the Lampu it’ll be better than glasses anyways.
Would it be possible to wear one of these while sleeping and set it to turn on at a certain time in the morning to help me wake up?
Hey there Fuzzy! Quick answer is no you can’t.
However, there are products like the Aura and Lumos sleep masks that have programmed sunrise features that might suit your needs?
I’ve not reviewed them yet so I can’t really recommend one over the other at this time, but they might be worth checking out.