Evidence map›Paper›PMID 27226262›Full record

Trial reportBipolar disorders2016

Blue-blocking glasses as additive treatment for mania: a randomized placebo-controlled trial.

Tone Eg Henriksen, Silje Skrede, Ole B Fasmer, Helle Schoeyen, Ieva Leskauskaite, Jeanette Bjørke-Bertheussen, Jörg Assmus, Børge Hamre, Janne Grønli, Anders Lund

Registry-linked trialOpen access · hybridAbstract readRandomized Controlled Trial
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Trial report in Bipolar disorders, 2016. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT07433491 (Blue-blocking Glasses for Treating Evening Activation and Sleep Disorders in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry - a Pilot Trans-diagnostic Randomized Controlled Trial.), which is not on this map. Cited by 48 papers, 5 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
48citing papers in PubMed, 5 pooled it
10.5field-weighted citation impact, top 1% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

NCT07433491 nanot yet recruitingnot on this mapstarted 2026, after this paper: background citation

Blue-blocking Glasses for Treating Evening Activation and Sleep Disorders in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry - a Pilot Trans-diagnostic Randomized Controlled Trial.

TypeinterventionalSponsorHelse FonnaRan2026 to 2027Enrolled40ConditionsInsomnia, Delayed Sleep Phase Disorder, Hyperarousal, Transdiagnostic PsychopathologyArmsBlue-blocking glasses (BB-glasses) or real darkness from 9 p.m. to desired wake-up time + night mode setting on mobile phone, Control
3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

48 citing papers in PubMed, 5 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 137 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Pooled it
  3. Pooled it
  4. Guideline
  5. Pooled it
  6. Trial
  7. Trial
  8. Trial
  9. Trial
  10. Trial
  11. Trial
  12. Trial
  13. Article
  14. Blue-Light Filters in Eye Care: A State-of-the-Art Review.Medical sciences (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026
    Review
  15. Article
  16. Review
  17. Article
  18. Pathophysiological Models of Hypersomnolence Associated With Depression.Biological psychiatry global open science · 2025
    Review
  19. Bipolar Disorder, Circadian Rhythm and Clock Genes.Clinical psychopharmacology and neuroscience : the official scientific journal of the Korean College of Neuropsychopharmacology · 2024
    Review
  20. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors at 5 institutions in 2 countries.

Tone Eg HenriksenSection for Psychiatry, Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway.
Silje SkredeDr. Einar Martens Research Group for Biological Psychiatry, Center for Medical Genetics and Molecular Medicine, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway.
Ole B FasmerSection for Psychiatry, Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway.
Helle SchoeyenSection for Psychiatry, Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway.
Ieva LeskauskaiteDivision of Mental Health Care, Haugesund Hospital, Fonna Local Health Authority, Valen, Norway.
Jeanette Bjørke-BertheussenDivision of Psychiatry, Stavanger University Hospital, Stavanger, Norway.
Jörg AssmusCentre for Clinical Research, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway.
Børge HamreDepartment of Physics and Technology, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway.
Janne GrønliDepartment of Biological and Medical Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway.
Anders LundSection for Psychiatry, Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway.
University of Bergen · NOHaukeland University Hospital · NOStavanger University Hospital · NOWashington State University Spokane · USWestern Norway Regional Health Authority · NO

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectivesThe discovery of the blue lightsensitive retinal photoreceptor responsible for signaling daytime to the brain suggested that light to the circadian system could be inhibited by using blue-blocking orange tinted glasses. Blue-blocking (BB) glasses are a potential treatment option for bipolar mania. We examined the effectiveness of BB glasses in hospitalized patients with bipolar disorder in a manic state.

methodsIn a single-blinded, randomized, placebo-controlled trial (RCT), eligible patients (with bipolar mania; age 18-70 years) were recruited from five clinics in Norway. Patients were assigned to BB glasses or placebo (clear glasses) from 6 p.m. to 8 a.m. for 7 days, in addition to treatment as usual. Symptoms were assessed daily by use of the Young Mania Rating Scale (YMRS). Motor activity was assessed by actigraphy, and compared to data from a healthy control group. Wearing glasses for one evening/night qualified for inclusion in the intention-to-treat analysis.

resultsFrom February 2012 to February 2015, 32 patients were enrolled. Eight patients dropped out and one was excluded, resulting in 12 patients in the BB group and 11 patients in the placebo group. The mean decline in YMRS score was 14.1 [95% confidence interval (CI): 9.7-18.5] in the BB group, and 1.7 (95% CI: -4.0 to 7.4) in the placebo group, yielding an effect size of 1.86 (Cohen's d). In the BB group, one patient reported headache and two patients experienced easily reversible depressive symptoms.

conclusionsThis RCT shows that BB glasses are effective and feasible as add-on treatment for bipolar mania.

Indexed as

EyeglassesAdolescentAdultAgedAntimanic AgentsBipolar DisorderBrainCircadian RhythmColor PerceptionCombined Modality TherapyFeasibility StudiesFemaleHospitalizationHumansMaleMiddle AgedAntimanic Agentsactigraphactivationbipolar disorderblue-blockerschronotherapydark therapymaniaRCTvirtual darkness

Identifiers

PMID27226262
PMCPMC5089565
OpenAlexW2404887186

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.