[Transparency: I was gifted the two pairs of Avulux glasses seen in this picture to trial in exchange for my honest review.]
I’ve had migraine for nearly thirty years. During that time, I have tried a lot of medications. Only one or two have been effective in treating my migraine symptoms. Although migraine is the second most disabling condition in the world (back pain being number one), migraine research is woefully underfunded.
Despite the lack of funding, fortunately, recent migraine research has resulted in several new classes of migraine-specific medications which seem to be having good results for many people, such as gepants like Ubrelvy, and CGRP monoclonal antibodies like Aimovig, Ajovy and Emgality.
Additionally, non-medicinal therapies have been emerging as well. These include biofeedback, neuromodulation devices (e.g., Cefaly; Nerivio, gammaCore; etc.), vitamins and supplements, and light-spectrum devices such as green light lamps/green lightbulbs and migraine glasses.
Migraine glasses filter out/block certain wavelengths of light in order to reduce photophobia symptoms. For more information on migraine glasses, I recommend this very good overview from the Association of Migraine Disorders.
Avulux is one of the companies producing migraine glasses that alter light for potential photophobia (light-sensitivity) relief. Unlike most companies, which filter out blue light only, Avulux filters out blue, amber, and red light, letting only green light wavelengths through their lenses.
Because I blog about migraine, Avulux very generously reached out to me and offered to let me trial their migraine glasses. I was gifted two pair: the Nimbus and the ProtectLite Fitover. Avulux gave me a choice of frames, and I selected the Nimbus because they were a wider style (and I have a wider face) and they were very lightweight. The Fitover glasses are designed to fit over prescription eyeglasses and, according to Avulux, are “safety goggles [which] are impact rated ANSI Z87+”. [At least, this was true about the style I tried, which does not seem to be currently available.]
After a two-month trial that became a two-year trial due to my fluctuating health conditions, here are my perceptions of the Avulux glasses. The Nimbus glasses, with a titanium frame, are very lightweight. In fact, they are lighter weight than the lightest-weight plastic frames I had for my prescription eyeglasses. They are so comfortable to wear that I transitioned to titanium frames for my prescription eyeglasses after trying the Avulux Nimbus frames. Since the pair I was gifted are not prescription (although Avulux does sell prescription versions of their migraine glasses), I was not able to wear them for computer work. So I have been trialing the Nimbus primarily outdoors, where I don’t usually need prescription lenses. In fact, I now keep them by the back door and wear them every hour while I’m doing my hourly steps outdoors. They really help make the sunlight more bearable.
While I found the ProtectLite Fitover glasses to be very adjustable, and I was excited that I might be able to wear them over my prescription glasses, and thus use them while I was on the computer, in practice I found it difficult to wear two pairs of glasses at the same time – there just wasn’t enough real estate on my nose for both pairs, and the Fitover glasses kept sliding off the end of my nose. Additionally, I found that the Fitover glasses aren’t compatible with my Cefaly device, meaning the Cefaly sits in such a position on my forehead that the Fitover glasses could not then be worn at the same time because the upper edge of the glasses lands at the same place on my forehead. So I could not wear the Fitover glasses when I was actively treating a migraine headache with my Cefaly device.
Overall, I am impressed with the thought that has gone into the design of both pairs of Avulux glasses I received. The Nimbus are very lightweight, and the Fitover are highly adjustable. The area I use as an office space is very dark, as I hide from the provocation of South Florida sunshine, and I think that my eyes had dark-adapted, becoming even more light-sensitive as a result. Wearing the Avulux Nimbus glasses while I did my hourly outdoor micro walks has made me less light-sensitive, and they have become an essential part of my daily routine. If your health insurance will cover them or they fit within your budget, I would recommend trying them. I am grateful to Avulux for this opportunity to trial a new migraine device, and I appreciate their patience.
TL;DR: Although I was unable during this trial to use Avulux light sensitivity lenses while doing computer work, I did benefit from using them outdoors, as I think my eyes became less light-sensitive due to their use. I have added them to my migraine toolbox as a device that gives me some relief from my migraine symptoms. (In very bright South Florida sunlight, I still need to pair them with a hat to block light coming in from above.) I am grateful to Avulux for this opportunity to trial a new migraine device.
NOTE: As I am finishing revising this blog post, the FDA has given a De Novo classification to Avulux, which is a regulatory pathway that grants marketing authorization for novel low-to-moderate risk medical devices. As I understand it, this means that the FDA does not think Avulux glasses are like other, preceding types of light-blocking lenses, but are instead establishing a new category of migraine light-sensitivity device. According to Avulux, the new FDA regulation is 21 CFR 882.5811, titled Light Attenuation Lenses for Migraine-associated Light Sensitivity. Avulux lenses are now classified as over-the-counter Class 1 medical devices under product code QEO. As I understand it, this means Avulux lenses may now be FSA/HSA eligible (which would also extend to ABLE account qualified expenses, I think). I am neither a doctor nor a tax specialist, so this is not advice, just informational. Please check with your doctor and/or tax specialist to verify whether this product is an eligible/qualifying use of these specific funds (ABLE/FSA/HSA).
