Migraines are more than just headaches. They can be debilitating, making everyday activities like using a computer or watching TV unbearable.
For many sufferers, light sensitivity is a significant trigger. Avulux migraine glasses offer a targeted approach to managing this symptom by filtering specific wavelengths of light that can worsen migraine attacks.
Migraine & Light Sensitivity
Migraines are a neurological condition characterized by intense, throbbing headaches lasting anywhere from a few hours to several days. The pain is often accompanied by other symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, and extreme sensitivity to light and sound.
Light sensitivity (clinically known as photophobia) affects over 80% of migraine sufferers. In fact, for 40% of people, light sensitivity is the only migraine symptom they experience.
Recent studies suggest migraines are linked to the overstimulation of intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells (ipRGCs).
These specialized cells, located in the back of the eye, are primarily responsible for regulating our body’s internal clock and responding to light. Unlike the rods and cones that create the images we see, ipRGCs are sensitive to light even without clear images.
When these ipRGCs are stimulated by specific light wavelengths, they secrete a photopigment called melanopsin. This pigment then activates various pathways in the brain, leading to increased sensitivity and amplification of migraine pain.
A study performed at Harvard University found that light in the blue, amber, and red wavelengths had the greatest impact on migraine symptoms. This is because these colours correspond to the peak sensitivity of ipRGCs, resulting in a heightened response. Green light worsened migraines the least, and low intensities of green light even reduced headache pain.
Avulux: Targeted Light Filtering
The 2016 Study
In 2016, Avulux’s researchers conducted a study to look at the effects of wearing glasses with optical notch filters to treat migraines and photophobia.
They created 2 lenses coated with thin-film optical notch filters (specialized filters that block or attenuate light within a specific narrow wavelength range). One filter blocked light around 480 nm (blue light), and another blocked light around 620 nm (orange light).
The 620 nm lenses were initially designed as “sham” lenses. The researchers had no reason to believe that orange light filters would provide relief; however, the study found that both lenses provided a true therapeutic effect.
The findings of this study encouraged further research and became the foundation for engineering the Avulux lens.
Fig. 1. A bar graph illustrating the change in headache intensity in response to exposure to different light wavelengths and intensities. Image courtesy of Avulux. Used with permission.
The 2020 Study
After the 2016 study, the Avulux team engineered a multi-band precision optical filter. Rather than blocking only a single band of light, these new lenses aim to block blue, amber, and red light while allowing green light through.
In 2020, an independent third party conducted a double-blind, randomized trial to compare the new Avulux lens with a clear placebo lens that did not block the wavelengths associated with migraines.
The study found Avulux’s multi-band, precise light-targeting filter helps reduce migraine symptoms.
The Science Behind Avulux: Targeted Light Filtering
Drawing on the insights from the 2016 study, Avulux engineers refined their lens technology to create a multi-band filter that effectively blocks blue, amber, and red light while allowing green light to pass through—a targeted approach supported by the findings of the 2020 trial.
Avulux lenses provide a clear, undistorted view of the world, protect against harmful UV rays, and can be comfortably worn indoors and outdoors.
Why Wear Avulux Migraine Glasses Instead of Dark Sunglasses?
If light hurts during a migraine attack, why not just wear dark sunglasses to block it out?
While dark sunglasses may seem like an intuitive solution for light sensitivity, they block every wavelength, including the beneficial light that helps regulate your eyes’ sensitivity, leading to dark adaptation.
Similar to leaving a darkened theatre in the bright afternoon sunlight, dark adaptation occurs when your eyes adjust to dim conditions, leading to increased sensitivity to light when exposed to brighter environments. If you wear dark sunglasses during every migraine attack, the discomfort you experience from light sensitivity can worsen over time.
Avulux glasses block migraine-triggering light while letting soothing light through, essentially acting as sunglasses without dark-adapting your eyes.
How Avulux Compares to Other Migraine Glasses
Many migraine glasses are available on the market, promising relief from light sensitivity and migraine attacks. However, not all migraine glasses are created equal. Some migraine glasses include:
- Blue light-blocking glasses: Blue light filters are primarily designed to address digital eye strain. They block light in the 400–460 nm range but not in the painful upper blue range of 450–500 nm or the amber range of 550–600 nm.
- FL-41 lenses: FL-41 glasses were created in the ‘80s to help manage sensitivity to fluorescent office lights. They were not designed for migraine relief and only block a narrow band of light in the 480–520 nm range. They do not block light in the red and amber wavelengths.
- Tinted sunglasses: Dark orange, red, blue, or green tints may help reduce the effects of harsh light but do not help with migraine relief.
Fig 2. A comparison of light transmittance for Avulux, FL-41, and sunglasses across various wavelengths. The x-axis represents the wavelength in nanometers (nm), while the y-axis represents the percentage of light transmitted. Image courtesy of Avulux. Used with permission.
While other glasses could potentially address headaches in general, Avulux contains multi-band optical filter lenses specifically intended to reduce photophobia and migraine pain.
Are Avulux Migraine Glasses Right for You?
Avulux migraine glasses can help alleviate the intensity of migraines by filtering out wavelengths of light known to increase migraine pain.
Whether you’re new to the world of migraine management or looking for an effective addition to your current regimen, Avulux migraine glasses might be right for you.
If you’re ready to try Avulux, contact Stoney Creek Eye Care to book an appointment today.
