Question: I suffer from migraines on a regular basis because I am working on a screen all day. Any suggestions on which blue light filters to try first?

Answer:

That is a very good question I get asked a lot. Unfortunately even the greatest migraine scientists and doctors could not say with 100% certainty: these rose tinted glasses for migraines will work for you [Diagnosis, pathophysiology, and treatment of photophobia (2016)]. The FL-41 migraine glasses are reported to help many migraine sufferers. But not everyone. And they might have negative side effects, causing nausea. Hence the only way to really know is to try. Your question implicitly indicates that you are aware of that, and that is great!

Note also, that in some migraine sufferers, it is not blue light causing it. It might be some other light wavelength. In some cases it could be the exact opposite – migraine relief comes from filters that transmit blue light but not other, longer wavelengths (see this 8 min video and this site on Irlen syndrome).

The biggest problem with trial and error process of trying different blue light filtering, tinted glasses for migraineurs is its cost. Both in time and money. That is particularly so if you need is prescription migraine glasses. They tend to be expensive. Also, since they are tailor-made for your eyes, you normally won’t be able to return them if they don’t work. So if you have to try three different filters to find the one that works best for you, you could be spending several hundreds of Dollars over several months, while suffering from migraine headaches.

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Disclaimer: My interest in blue light filters (and some related knowledge of migraine glasses) is due to my problems with light sensitivity (photophobia), discomfort glare, and computer eye strain. I am not a vision scientist or medical doctor, migraine glasses expert, nor a migraine sufferer.

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The inexpensive and quick way of finding your filter for migraine relief glasses

The problem in finding the right filter is not any different in the case of migraines to other computer screen induced conditions associated with blue light (as you know, there are many other causes of computer eye strain headaches). Since people kept asking me the same question as you asked for all sorts of problems potentially related to blue light, I came up with an inexpensive blue light filter tester kit.

 

– GLARminY Tester costs only $20.
– You can also use it over prescriptions.
– You get 8 different interchangeable lenses that filter blue light.
– Two filters (4 and 6) are rose tinted lenses that have very similar spectral transmission properties as the two brands of glasses that are recommended by researchers and physicians as the best for migraine relief: TheraSpecs and Axon Optics
[Diagnosis, pathophysiology, and treatment of photophobia (2016)].
– Once you’ll have identified the best Filter for your migraine relief use this table on the Tester page to find the closest matching migraine relief glasses.

 

Rose tinted glasses for migraines

If you prefer not to use the Tester, the most obvious choice would be to go with the rose tinted glasses for migraines. The tint is called FL-41 and was originally designed for fluorescent light glasses, to reduce visual stress from fluorescent lighting.

Later, FL-41 was also discovered to be the most effective tint for migraine glasses. This means that it helps more migraineurs than any other tint, but not everyone. So if you are willing to take the risk it would be the lowest with rose tinted lenses. Below is the basic information for TheraSpecs and Axon Optics indoor migraine lenses:

 

Axon Optics: Migraine glasses (also prescription), contacts, fit-overs and migraine sunglasses

Disclosure: I’ve tested a pair of glasses with indoor tint, courtesy of Axon Optics: The glasses are very high quality but unfortunately the filter is not optimal for me. However, this doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try their rose tint – I don’t suffer from migraines and there is much praise by happy customers out there.

Axon indoor tint spectral transmission properties available here (similar to GLARminŸ Tester Filter 6).

You may purchase Axon Optics rose-tinted glasses for migraine, fit-overs, soft contact lenses, and migraine sunglasses from Axon Optics (commission link). They come in various models available including wrap-arounds with a removable inner gasket which contours to the exact shape of your face to keep any unwanted light out.

You can also send in your own frame and have regular or prescription Rx migraine lenses fitted.

 

TheraSpecs: Migraine glasses (also prescription), fit-overs, and migraine sunglasses

TheraSpecs is another quality vendor of FL-41 rose tinted glasses for migraine sufferers and fluorescent light glasses.

TheraSpecs Indoor Lens spectrogram available here – similar to GLARminŸ Tester Filter 4

You can buy TheraSpecs’ many frame designs including fit-overs and migraine sunglasses from Amazon (commission link) or directly from TheraSpecs online shop.

 

What about best sunglasses for migraine sufferers

As suggested above Axon Optics and TheraSpecs both offer rose tinted outdoor lenses, i.e. sunglasses for migraines.

 

So, which are the best glasses and sunglasses for migraine sufferers

That is user specific :(: so it depends.

But the two brands that seem to help the greatest proportion of migraine sufferers are Axon and TheraSpecs.