A Review of Axon Optics Therapeutic Eyewear

Last month I was contacted by Axon Optics, with an opportunity to try a pair of what they are calling therapeutic eyewear. These are FL-41 tinted lenses that are designed specifically for people who are light sensitive, filtering out the wavelengths of light that are believed to be most problematic.

Before I go into the details of my experience let me just give you a little background info. I'm very light sensitive. I've been this way since I first started having episodic migraines as a young child. This sensitivity has gotten much worse since my migraines went chronic. Even on a low pain day I struggle when looking at things. I can only read for short periods of time, I am constantly averting my eyes when on the computer or watching TV, I wear shades even on cloudy days and have my home a virtual cave so I can control the lighting... For me light is both a trigger and an incredibly painful stimuli during all the stages of a migraine attack.

Here is what I found:

Option, option and more option. They have 11 different frames to choose from, plus the option to send in your own frames to have fitted with their FL-41 lenses. Each of the frames has additional options. They come in varied sizes and colors, they come lighter for indoor use and darker for outdoor use, they can be polarized and even made into transition lenses. 

I ordered the Cover Rx frames designed to fit over prescription glasses, in the darker outdoor tinting. I don't wear glasses but I like the wrap around coverage and the loose fit that is much less likely to pinch behind the ears. The glasses came in this carrying case with this cleaning cloth.

I've been wearing them off and on for about a month now, going back and forth between these special lenses and my regular sunglasses in an effort to compare them side by side. I wore them on the long drive from St Louis up to Rochester, Minnesota and then back again. I wore them out running errands, walking the dog, and even a couple times indoors while on the computer.

What I loved:

- The frames are a great fit thanks to the sizing guide and sizing options. My face is sort of narrow and smallish so I appreciated that the frames came in different sizes. Even better they don't pinch behind the ears.

- When I am wearing them my eyes feel relaxed. I don't know how else to describe what is happening. This isn't something that I've ever felt before with my regular sunglasses. They simply feel relaxed.

What I wasn't crazy about:
-The only thing that bothers me a bit is that after wearing for them for a while they leave an indentation where they rest on my nose, which can take a few hours to smooth out. The glasses are not pinching my nose or in any way uncomfortable/painful. The mark is simply a matter of aesthetics and, frankly, isn't normally a big deal. I might not wear them on my way to be photographed or big event, but those things happen pretty rarely around here. Seems like this might be happening because they are designed to fit over glasses and I am not using them that way.

Overall
Migraine is a complicate genetic, neurological disease. The world is full of triggers and exacerbating stimuli so I wouldn't go so far as to say that these glasses are a great preventative or treatment. BUT that wouldn't be a realistic expectation, would it?

For me, these glasses make a noticeable and consistent impact on the way my eyes feel when outside or in otherwise bright environments. I have come to see my glasses as a kindness I show my eyes and, by extension, my head. They are another great tool at my disposal as I continue to try to live the best I can despite my chronic migraines and fibromyalgia.