Migraines
Migraine – So Much More Than a Headache
A migraine isn’t “just a bad headache.” In fact, some people who suffer from migraines don’t get any head pain at all. For those that do, that head pain is significantly more brutal than a normal headache in both intensity and duration.
Migraine is a neuro-visual condition characterized as a brain and nervous system disorder. According to the American Migraine Association, migraine is the 3rd most common disease (yes, it is a neurological disease) in the world and the 2nd leading cause of disability worldwide. In the US alone, roughly one in six adults experiences migraines. At least 90% of migraine sufferers report that experiencing migraines interferes with their daily lives in terms of education, career, social life and general day-to-day living.
The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke describes migraine as “a type of headache characterized by recurrent attacks of moderate to severe throbbing and pulsating pain on one side of the head. The pain is caused by the activation of nerve fibers within the wall of brain blood vessels traveling inside the meninges (three layers of membranes protecting the brain and spinal cord).”
There are two types of migraines: episodic and chronic. Those suffering from episodic migraines experience 14 or fewer headache days a month. Those suffering from chronic migraines endure more than 15 headache days a month for at least three months, with at least 8 of these days exhibiting migraine characteristics. If not properly treated and managed, episodic migraines can become chronic migraines.
How It Feels – Living With Migraines
To get a sense of what it’s like to live with migraines, imagine the worst headache you’ve ever had and multiply it by 20… then extend it for three or more days. Add in sensitivity to light (photophobia), sound and smell; nausea; brain fog; and dizziness. Toss in vomiting, mood changes, insomnia, chills, depression and irritability. Then maybe add in aura, which can cause changes in a person’s vision, ability to speak or sensation. Now imagine experiencing that multiple days a month.
Any type of movement only exacerbates it, as can light, sound and smell. It can be triggered by just about everything: changes in weather, hormone fluctuations, different types of lighting, certain foods, strenuous exercise, alcohol, stress, too much or too little sleep...sometimes it's triggered by nothing at all. And it can last anywhere from 4 hours to 3 days. Not surprisingly, it often leaves the migraine sufferer completely spent.
The effects aren’t just physical. Because of the debilitating nature of migraines, those that suffer from them lose large portions of their life, finding themselves struggling to maintain jobs, friendships and relationships. They often have to call out of work sick, skip parties and social events, and just shut out the world simply because it’s often impossible to function during a migraine attack. Parents can feel added guilt for having to isolate themselves from their children or miss out on important moments of their lives. Partners can begin to feel like a burden.
It is not overstating to say migraines negatively affect every single aspect of a person’s life in a big way.
What makes a migraine even more challenging is that each person experiences a complex mix of symptoms unique to them. However, while the condition cannot be cured, it can be treated; both by medication and by preventative treatment (which is where we come in).
How We Help – Our Recommendations
As mentioned previously, one of the most common migraine symptoms is photophobia. This includes sensitivity to not just bright light, but also to strobe and flickering light, fluorescent light, computer light, glare and certain colors and patterns. But light sensitivity isn’t just a symptom. It’s also a common trigger. Or, more specifically, specific light and light wavelengths.
Migraine patients are more sensitive to specific wavelengths of light than others. Studies have established a connection between specialty tinted lenses or filters that block those wavelengths and a reduction in visual discomfort for migraine sufferers.
We recommend two solutions that work best for treating migraine patients: the Avulux® lens and the FL-41 tint.
Avulux® Migraine Glasses
While the FL-41 tint has been the go-to treatment for migraines for years now, new technology has allowed precision targeting of the wavelengths that are known to cause or exacerbate migraines. The Avulux® lens uses this technology.
Instead of a tint, the Avulux® lens uses a patented multi-band precision filter that absorbs up to 97% of the most harmful blue, amber and red light while allowing soothing green light through. Put simply, it offers a much more targeted reduction of the wavelengths known to cause or worsen migraine symptoms than any previous treatment while allowing helpful wavelengths through.
In an independent, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study, the Avulux® filter was shown to effectively target and block wavelengths that induce melanopsin activation and generate larger electrical signals that can lead to pain via the optic nerve.
Are you a practitioner looking to order Avulux® lenses for a patient? Contact us directly by phone or learn more about Avulux® lenses for migraines.
Are you a patient looking for Avulux® glasses? Head directly to the Avulux® site.
FL-41 Tint
The “FL” in FL-41 stands for fluorescent lighting. It is a specialized type of eyewear tint originally designed to mitigate the invisible “flicker” of artificial fluorescent lights. Soon after development, doctors began recommending this tint for patients who endure migraines, post-concussion syndrome and a host of other conditions that make them sensitive to light.
The FL-41 tint has been the go-to recommendation of doctors for years because it greatly reduces the amount of light getting through part of the visual spectrum known to trigger or worsen light sensitivity in migraines.
Exposure to this type of light doesn’t just cause discomfort to the eyes and brain, however. It can also bring on other symptoms associated with these conditions such as dizziness, vertigo, nausea and anxiety.
Our FL-41 lenses provide a budget-friendly, practical solution to a widespread and often debilitating problem, ensuring that individuals with light sensitivity can find relief without sacrificing their ability to function in various lighting environments.
To see other tints we make, check out our tint library, or read more about our tinting overview and process.
