More than 80% of people with migraine have light sensitivity. Light is taken in through the patient’s eyes and affects cells on the retina at the back of the eye, including intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells (ipRGC). That plays a role in regulating how the patient responds to bright light situations, regulating the body’s melatonin production and affecting migraine pain level.
Light sensitivity can be addressed with migraine glasses. A study in 2016 found that blue, red, amber and white light increased migraine-related headache pain intensity, while green light was found to be soothing. That’s why people who experience migraine and light sensitivity need a comfortable lens that absorbs light in high percentages at multiple bands of wavelengths (colors), does not distort color perception, and is manufactured accurately and consistently.
If you’re looking to add a migraine sub-specialty to your practice and prescribe migraine lenses, it’s important to know that not all lenses referred to as “migraine glasses” truly are. Blue light glasses, sunglasses and dark colored tints, clear lenses and FL-41 lenses all have their limitations, whereas evidence-based and clinically proven Avulux lenses truly absorb the most harmful wavelengths of light that are linked to migraine.
Read the backgrounder on how migraine glasses might help your patients.
Read more WO stories on Avulux here.
