We are from the light and life itself is the light. Present medicine has become aware of the potential of Light Medicine which could be the final solution for all illnesses. At this stage, the phototherapy has been performed successfully in neonatal jaundice and psoriasis, and to a certain extent in mental disorders. We believe that in the near future the phototherapy or light therapy will replace current medical practices and begin a new era for medicine. Let’s look at some new developments in the field of photoelectric technology.

Optical Coherent Tomography, OCT: The resolution of OCT is able to reach the level of submicron, better than the performance of computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Dynamic image of a living cell can be observed through its high-speed scanning with a speed of 2000 axial scans/sec, which enables us to see the abnormality of a single cell, and subsequently improves the early diagnosis of cancer.

Ultrafast Optics Imaging: With present electronic technology, the fastest signal we can capture is between 10-100 GHz, and yet the frequency of light wave is beyond 10000 GHz. Therefore, we have to rely on the photo-technology to go above present limitation. Ultrafast Optics is now developing rapidly. The application of its imaging technology will enable us to observe the trivial changes in tissues.

Phototherapy: Specific wavelength of light may enhance or inhibit the reaction of certain enzymes and eventually the activities of cells. The mechanism of phototherapy is to use the unique effect of different light to resolve the physical and mental illnesses.

Photodynamic therapy (PDT): This treatment starts with infusing a photosensitizing agent to localize the diseased cells, and expose the spot to a specific wavelength of light. A photochemical reaction is then induced, and the photosensitizing agent will react with the oxygen in the tissue and form a cytotoxic free radical, thus achieve the effect of selective extermination of abnormal cells without damaging the surrounding normal tissues. The photodynamic therapy has been used for cancer treatment, and now has extended to other applications, such as senile rheumatic arthritis, etc. Scientists are now hoping to develop a complete noninvasive phototherapy, apart from improving the localization of the tumor, and expecting that the wave length of light is adjustable in order to reach the right depth.

Baylor University Medical Center in Texas, USA has used the mechanism of photodynamic therapy for the decontamination of blood for transfusion. It is proved to be able to eliminate the HIV, herpes simplex type I, measles and other infectious viruses without damaging the normal blood. Nowadays the phototherapy is widely used in Ophthalmology, Dentistry and Plastic surgery. Dr. Joan Smith Sonneborn, Professor of Zoology and Physiology in Wyoming State University, USA, also notices that certain light has the ability to repair the chromosome, as well as to stimulate the potency of life extension in chromosome. Therefore, light is apparently crucial to our well-being and protects us from illnesses.

References:
Photodynamic therapy: by M.D.Der-Hwa Wang, Dermatology department, Cheng Gung University Hospital. “The development of science” No. 403, July, 2006.
Midterm reports on prospective view of photo-biotechnology in our country: Industrial Technology Research Institute of Taiwan, ROC.
Photodynamic therapy in cancer: M.D. Rui-Zhang Tsai, Department of Neurosurgery, Taiwan University Hospital.
“Light: Medicine of the Future”: by Dr. Jacob Liberman, Bear & Company.

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