UW researchers develop more effective light therapy for seasonal affective disorder

With the days getting shorter and the rain setting in, many Pacific Northwesterners are already feeling the effects of seasonal affective disorder, or SAD. The disorder is thought to be caused by the body’s internal clock being disrupted by a lack of sunlight in autumn and winter months. Treatments include antidepressants and exposure to bright lights that mimic sunlight. As covered in OPB’s “All Science. No Fiction.,” researchers at the University of Washington have developed a new type of light therapy that could more effectively treat the symptoms of SAD.

Jay Neitz is the Bishop Professor of Ophthalmology at UW. He co-authored the study and joins us with more details.