If we’ve ever met in real life, you’ve probably noticed that I most often wear bold eyeglasses (bold in frame and color).
My current glasses rotation includes purple, green, fuchsia/tortoise, and a brand new pair of pink specs with a difference. My new glasses are tinted pink in the hopes of combatting migraines. uv400 polarized sunglasses
Many migraine sufferers have photophobia, a sensitivity to light. I do. Migraines can be triggered by specific types of light.
On the most basic level, glasses with a unique pink tint can filter harmful wavelengths and lights —like blue light from your screens or fluorescent overhead light —that might trigger headaches and migraine attacks.
There are several variants of migraine glasses, most with pink tints. The lens proven most effective is FL-41 (fluorescent 41) which blocks blue light along with a touch of green light. While I can’t speak to the specifics of migraine glasses (I won’t even try to compare FL-41 with competitor Avulux lenses), I will offer a disappointing caveat. If you’re prone to aura migraines as well, your cute new glasses won’t do much. I had a colorful rager two days after trying my new migraine glasses. And before you ask, your blue-light blocking glasses only block blue light, so they won’t help with migraines.
In case you’re wondering why I know quite a bit about this, I worked with two former clients* deep in the prescription glasses world. Between the two, I spent a lot of time in meetings discussing the intricacies of everything eyeglasses, and I also wrote and researched far too much on blue light and its effects.
I may earn a small commission from sales made using the links in this post. (Probably not, since I’m kinda lazy about chasing down affiliate programs).
I decided to go all out with my new glasses and chose bright pink frames to match the dusty rose tint. They’re oddly flattering, with a note of mystery to them. I chose Zenni Square Glasses in Hibiscus with the FL-41 tint at 25% (and at no extra charge for the tint). Even with my extremely complicated prescription and super thin lenses the full price was $120.90, which felt like a manageable splurge. I suspect another pair is in my future.
You won’t be able to get transition lenses with FL-41 tinted glasses, so these might not be great for outdoor use on sunny days.
While I can’t prove one way or another whether my migraine eyeglasses actually do much of anything, I love mine. My eyes feel less stressed even when staring at a screen for too many hours (next up: not staring at a screen for too long). There’s also a level of sharpness that compare to the way amber lenses help filter light at night.
If you’d like to take a deeper dive into pink migraine glasses, there’s a comprehensive article about migraine glasses on migrainedisorders.com.
Have you been considering migraine glasses, or do you already have a pair or two? Let’s meet in the comment section to discuss.
* Essilor, the world leader in prescription glasses, and Glasses USA.
I also have photo sensitivity and discovering Zenni's migraine glasses have been a god send. I have three pairs with different tints and wear them religiously - fluorescent lights are awful for me and the glare from natural light is hard on my head. Thanks for bringing this to everyone's attention. xxoo
Oh my gosh! I had no idea there were glasses for migraines!
Putting this on my todo list as last year my eyes hurt so bad after finishing my book I didn’t look at a computer screen for 3 months!
tinted glasses I know… not the best pr idea, but hey, sometimes you just need a break!