First, is it useful growth or something that will be lollipopped later?
Try to be organized and make a better decision. Figure 4-6inches x 4-6inches per cola. If you have more in one area, try to bend it elsewhere. If you can't think about removing the weaker growth in that area... after that if you still need to remove a leaf, go for it.
Make sure there's a good reason... some axillary growth with 2 nodes that'll only produce trash larf is not something you cut a leaf off for.
the buds themselves don't need light.. it's the leaves in those local areas. if the leaves have light, it won't stretch because it isn't reaching for light, which is what causes stretch... anatomy of the plant tells us the leaves are where the majority of chlorophyll is. it'll react to how much photosynthesis is occurring, if the feedback system within plant says not enough, it stretches for light. everything is cause and effect.