Ray Corbin-Simon, OD, of Piscataway, New Jersey, has been hearing a more common complaint as many of her patients are returning to work in an office setting. Whether it’s the fluorescent lights in the building or some other trigger, they tell her that their light sensitivity seems to be heightening. Some tell her they are developing headaches or migraines or experiencing discomfort. They seem surprised when she tells them she might have a solution.
“I’m always interested in patients who complain of light sensitivity,” Dr. Corbin-Simon says. “Recently, I’ve had a lot of kids who have difficulty with the lights at school.” And she’s hearing the complaints from adults as well. “Now that people are going back to work, they tell me the lights in their environments are troubling them,” she adds. “They say they don’t experience problems in their home office, but they do in the office building.”
Many of these patients have been looking for their own solutions. Some have asked building maintenance staff if there’s a way to tone down the intensity of the lights. Others choose to wear sunglasses indoors, which can actually exacerbate their light sensitivity.
COULD THIS BE THE SOLUTION?
Dr. Corbin-Simon first learned about Avulux lenses at a meeting of her PERC P3 study group this past November. She heard about the lens design and its potential to alleviate migraine attacks and light sensitivity. Avulux lenses filter up to 97% of harmful blue, amber and red light, at specific wavelengths that have been demonstrated in multiple studies to trigger or increase migraine pain. Importantly, Avulux lenses selectively filter these specific wavelengths while simultaneously allowing in soothing green light, which has been shown in these same studies to have the opposite effect on migraine pain. “A top complaint these days is that patients come in talking about light sensitivity,” she notes. Until discovering Avulux, she struggled to provide effective solutions. “We previously talked about some amber tints. For some people it works, and for others, it doesn’t. When I heard about Avulux, I thought, ‘Maybe this is the answer I’ve been looking for.’”
She has seen success with Avulux lenses in both children and adults. “I’ve seen an increase across the board in patients who have migraines and light sensitivity,” she explains. She expects that environmental causes and the patient’s habits may play a role. “The increase in technology usage has made our bodies less adaptable. We have to find ways to alleviate the symptoms, basically.”
DEMONSTRATING EFFECTIVENESS
Because Avulux lenses are also available in Chemistrie Clips, designed to fit the shape of the eyewear, Dr. Corbin-Simon says it’s very easy for patients to try the lenses. It’s also an easy product to demo in the office. “I let patients wear the light filter and sit with it for a little bit,” she shares. “I want them to experience it and see how it feels. For the most part, they feel relief right away.” One patient, a young girl and aspiring musical artist, reported that wearing Avulux lenses made her eyes feel “soothing” and relaxing during performances. “It’s good to see patients finding comfort quickly.”
Dr. Corbin-Simon’s staff also benefit from training on how to articulate the advantages of Avulux lenses. “I’ve had repeated training sessions, even for new staff, to help them explain it to patients,” she states. Some staff members even wear the lenses and can share their personal experiences, strengthening patient trust.
She emphasizes the importance of effective explanation. “I don’t go into the science that much, but I do explain the difference between the filtering of light with sunglasses and the filter I recommend,” she explains. “People don’t want to wear sunglasses all the time because that can actually worsen the problem. I let them know that by wearing the filtering lens, we’re allowing good light in.”
ADDITIVE SOLUTION
Dr. Corbin-Simon says that the availability of Avulux semifinished lenses, as well as Avulux Chemistrie Clips, also means that patients can wear the Avulux lenses with their current prescription. That makes it an additive solution to any single vision, multifocal or other special lenses they’re already wearing. She recalls a conversation with a patient who speaks often at a lit podium. He couldn’t find a way to be comfortable and still have enough light on page he was reading. “Once he put them on, he said, ‘It’s so much better!’ because he could comfortably read without being bothered by bright lights.”
Dr. Corbin-Simon believes this tailored approach to light sensitivity and comfort is changing lives. “I’ve always asked patients how they can function in their space and what’s making it uncomfortable. If we can make that better and help patients understand how to get relief, it greatly enhances their experience.”
