Migraine and Dyslexia may respond to prescription tinted glasses

Observation

Year

Abstract

The effect of colored lenses on the visual evoked response in children with visual stress.

The results suggest that it is possible to measure objective correlates of the beneficial subjective perceptual effects of coloured lenses, at least in some children who have a history of migraine or severe headaches.

The quality of the evidence to suggest a relationship between migraine headache and pupil anomalies, visual field defects and pattern glare is stronger. In particular the link between migraine headache and pattern glare is striking. The therapeutic use of precision-tinted spectacles to reduce pattern glare (visual stress) and to help some migraine sufferers is described.

The tints were supplied in random order, each for 6 weeks, separated by an interval of at least 2 weeks with no tints. Headache diaries showed that the frequency of headaches was marginally lower when the 'optimal' tint was worn, compared with the 'control'.

Optometric function in visually sensitive migraine before and after treatment with tinted spectacles.

The effects of precision tinted and control tinted lenses were investigated. The only variable to show a consistent and marked improvement with tinted lenses was pattern glare.

The improvements in headache frequency in children wearing rose tints correlated with a reduction in visually provoked beta activity.

Observation

Source

Researchers at The University of Texas Medical School at Houston discovered that coloured lenses versus control lenses may actually rid migraine suffers of their crippling pain. "These lenses provide fast relief, but it doesn't work for everybody," says Dr. Thomas Prager, clinical professor of ophthalmology at the University of Texas Medical School.

A preliminary study by D.W. Riley and A. Wright (October 2000) comprised 30 people ranging in age from 10 to 60+.  The diagnosis of migraine was by doctor or specialist for 21 of the subjects, with the remaining 9 being self-diagnosed.  All the subjects had been assessed for Irlen Syndrome and had been wearing Irlen Colored Filters for 6 months to 5 years.  For 83% of people in the study, Irlen Filters reduced the frequency and severity of their migraines.

Thirty-three patients with a history of migraines associated with photophobia were given specially made red-tinted contact lenses to insert during acute attacks. Thirty-one patients experienced rapid pain relief, of whom 26 had complete relief. For most patients, improvement began within 5 minutes, and pain relief was maximal within 90 minutes. In 5 cases, complete relief of pain occurred within 10 seconds of inserting the lenses. The contact lenses used were dark red and blocked 90% of wavelengths of 600 nm or less, while admitting 90% of wavelengths of 700 nm or more.

CASE STUDY: LH is a 40-year-old woman, who has suffered with migraines at a frequency of two per month. She is a patient at the National Hospital for Nervous Diseases, a major London hospital. Currently, she has been prescribed Imigran to control her symptoms. In September 1995, the hospital recommended that LH should obtain tinted spectacles for additional relief. These were prescribed using the Intuitive Colorimeter. Since LH has worn the spectacles, she has found a decrease in the frequency of the migraines by 60%, with none severe enough to confine her to bed. She has also been able to reduce the dosage of medication. She has now been using the spectacles for approximately nine months. Previously, she had worn commercially available sunglasses, but had not obtained the same reduction in symptoms. This is a case of confirmed migraine for which numerous drugs had been tried to give long-term relief. Relief over an extended period has only been obtained by the use of precision tinted lenses. It is concluded that in order to receive relief from migraine symptoms, the tint may need to be individually prescribed and tightly defined.

Dr. Garrison and colleague Kathleen Saathoff of San Jacinto Methodist Hospital in Baytown, Texas, presented the results of a case series of 33 patients with a history of photophobic headache who were offered bilateral insertion of special-order red-tinted contact lenses during acute pain attacks. The light-filtering lenses brought immediate pain relief to 31 of the patients.