What Makes Red Light Flashlights Different From Regular Options

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Even though most of us always have a light on hand thanks to smartphones, actual flashlights are still important for emergencies and outdoor activities. After all, if your power goes out and you can't charge your phone, you definitely shouldn't be draining your battery using it as a lamp. While the basic flashlights we've all used shine white light, there are those that use different colors, including red, for reasons that have nothing to do with the aesthetic.

Red light flashlights, which cost about the same as white ones, are better for activating and maximizing your natural night vision. When turned on in the dark, a regular flashlight will shock your eyes. That's because, in low light, any amount of bright light disrupts your eyes' ability to produce rhodopsin, a chemical that activates the rods in your eyes that are responsible for night vision. Rhodopsin takes around 20 to 40 minutes to kick in, but any brightness (like that from a flashlight) stops production and means your eyes have to start all over again.

That's where red light comes in. Dim red light doesn't impact rhodopsin production, allowing your eyes to adjust to the dark while still giving you a way to see. They're ideal for prolonged use in the dark, which is why submarines also use red lights at night to preserve the crew's night vision and help their bodies distinguish between day and night while deep underwater.

Since red light provides decent illumination in a way that's easier on the eyes, red light flashlights are important for any activity where night vision is vital; things like navigating, setting up equipment, or keeping track of others if you're in a group. For example, astronomers, professional and amateur, use them for setting up their telescopes and reading star maps while maintaining the night vision necessary for spotting stars and planets that are light-years away.

These flashlights are also vital for law enforcement and military operations where night vision is important for the job, such as a cop checking IDs and notes when it's dark out. Red light isn't as bright or obvious as white light, making it helpful during missions where you need illumination without giving away your position. Hunters and nighttime wildlife observers in particular benefit from red light flashlights, as most non-human mammals cannot see red, meaning they can track and watch animals without alerting or disrupting them.

Night vision isn't the only thing red light is good for. In Denmark, there's a stretch of road near Copenhagen with red streetlights installed to protect bats, which are especially sensitive to bright white light like that from normal streetlights. Some also swear by red light therapy for treating everything from skincare to sleep to chronic pain, though studies have only found consistent evidence to support its use for hair growth and wrinkle reduction. You may find wellness gadgets like light therapy masks useful, but don't expect the kinds of dramatic results that are often promised.