The Migraine and Photophobia Problem (also known as “light sensitivity”)
Photophobia Affects Most Migraineurs
Approximately 80% of people with migraine experience photophobia. It’s no mystery that light sensitivity is a major issue for migraineurs (people with migraine), yet the majority of treatments on the market do not address it.
A study conducted in 2016 had subjects with migraine placed in a dark room. The subjects were then intermittently exposed to varying colors of light (white, blue, green, amber, and red) and assessed for:
- Intensity of their headache
- Throbbing sensation
- Muscle tenderness
- Cephalic areas (areas on the head) affected by the pain.
Findings
The researchers found that white, blue, amber, and red light increased the subjects’ headache pain intensity, while green light was actually shown to reduce pain intensity.
Therefore, filtering out the specific wavelengths of migraine inducing light while allowing in green light may prove beneficial in reducing light sensitivity (photophobia) and headache intensity.
The Relationship Between Light and Migraine
Certain Light Affects the Cells in Your Eyes
Our eyes have the ability to process light thanks to two photoreceptors (light receptors) located at the back of the retina called rods and cones.
Based on a study run in 2010, we know that there are other intrinsically-photosensitive retinal ganglion cells (ipRGC’s) at the back of the retina. One of these ipRGCs is melanopsin, which is activated by certain wavelengths of light in the 400nm to 500nm range. One of the functions of melanopsin is to aid your vision with color correction in high-brightness situations.
If you have migraine, you are likely to experience an increase in pain in bright-light situations. In the same 2010 study, it was found that the exacerbation of migraine related headaches by light are likely to involve both extrinsic photoactivation of ipRGCs by rods and cones, as well as intrinsic photoactivation of melanopsin.
To put it simply, exposing your eyes to light that activates these ipRGC cells has been found to worsen your migraine related pain.
Avulux® used the research behind melanopsin as one of the main scientific drivers behind the optical engineering involved in creating Avulux® migraine glasses.
Avulux's® Solution to Your Light and Migraine Dilemma
Over eight years of optical engineering, experimentation, and clinical research have gone into developing the Avulux® lenses specifically for migraineurs. That lens is now used in Avulux® Migraine Glasses. It is a new generation of precision tinted optical filter, that means it is a lens for glasses that more effectively and efficiently absorbs wavelengths in high percentages at only certain slivers of the light spectrum.
Avulux® customers report back that they feel like they’ve just run into a dark room after putting on their Avulux® migraine glasses!
Feeling like Avulux® is your portable dark room is no coincidence. Avulux’s® precision tinted optical lenses are specifically designed to absorb the harmful wavelengths of light that cause migraines (migraine attacks) to begin and worsen, while allowing the beneficial wavelengths of light in. Unlike sunglasses, wearing Avulux® continuously will not make you more sensitive to light.
The Avulux® lens protects your eyes, and effectively your brain, without turning your world red. You'll probably forget you're even wearing them.
Our lenses absorb light so well, and from many angles, that we can use traditional frames instead of wrap-around frames to achieve the same results.
Avulux® is Clinically Proven and Government Health Agency Approved
Backed by Multiple Independent Studies
Migraine subjects included in the clinical studies varied from those with as few as one headache every month or two to those with more than 15 headache days a month. Individuals in every one of these subject groups experienced migraine relief.
Independent clinical studies on the Avulux® lens have shown that:
- 38% of Avulux® users have their headaches completely disappear before even beginning if Avulux® is worn at the earliest onset of a migraine symptom or a migraine aura.
- Another 36% have their migraine related symptoms so significantly reduced to the point where they do not need any additional medicine to manage their symptoms.
- More than 90% of Avulux® users have such dramatic pain relief that they are able to return to their normal activities of daily living.
- 74% of the trial subjects no longer had to take any of their usual medications, whether oral or injectable, to manage their migraine symptoms.
The clinical study results on Avulux® Migraine Glasses were so positive that Avulux received regulatory approval from government health agencies in Canada, the U.K., and the European Union (32 countries and counting) to be used as a Class I Medical device to prevent and treat migraine attacks.
What Are Migraine Glasses?
An Engineered Migraine Solution
In today’s terms, it's Avulux's® migraine glasses. As the only approved medical device of its kind, these glasses are approved for the prevention and treatment of migraine symptoms, they can work as effectively or more safely than alternative medications without any tolerance buildup. Now, you finally have access to this tool as your anytime solution to fight migraine and seize the day.
What Did You Learn?
- Light can negatively affect migraineurs.
- Certain wavelengths of light are harmful while others are beneficial.
- Migraines (migraine attacks) can be prevented or treated by effectively preventing specific harmful wavelengths of light from entering your eyes.
- Most migraineurs suffer from light sensitivity.
- Avulux® is evidence-based, proven, and approved to help you treat and prevent migraine, including the associated headache pain and light sensitivity.
- Let Avulux® help you get back in control whether you have ocular migraine, vestibular migraine, hemiplegic migraine, migraine aura, nausea, or other classic migraine symptoms.