When I was in middle school, I developed photophobia, also referred to as light sensitivity or a sensitivity to bright lights. I would come home from school almost crying due to eye pain from being around fluorescent lights all day, and started layering non-prescription sunglasses over my prescription glasses during my afternoon classes. After I told my eye doctor about this, they suggested I switch to using prescription non-polarized tinted glasses to help with light sensitivity. This immediately made a huge difference, and I’ve been rocking tinted lenses ever since. Here is how tinted glasses help my light sensitivity as a person with low vision, photophobia, and a neurological condition.
Who benefits from tinted glasses?
Tinted glasses can be added to any prescription glasses and do not have to be requested by an eye doctor, though it is helpful to talk to an eye doctor about the appropriate tint color and tint level for individual eye conditions. Some examples of medical conditions that people might wear tinted glasses for include:
- Autism/ADHD/Sensory Processing Disorder
- Chiari malformations
- Concussion and/or traumatic brain injury (TBI)
- Cortical Visual Impairment (CVI)
- Epilepsy
- Migraines
- Motion sickness
- Neurological conditions
- Non-epileptic seizures
- PTSD
- Visual impairments, inclusive of both low vision and blindness
- Visual Processing Disorder
- Visual stress/Meares-Irlin Syndrome
Not everyone who has these diagnoses will experience light sensitivity to bright lights, but it is a known trigger for some people with these conditions. In my case, I experience photophobia and photosensitivity connected to visual impairment (low vision) and Chiari Malformation, and my reactions vary from eye pain from bright lights to feeling disoriented or having a migraine triggered by strobe or flashing lights.
Related links
Tinted glasses vs Sunglasses
Unlike polarized sunglasses that distort LCD displays or make it difficult to use technology, tinted glasses are non-polarized lenses that provide a consistent color tint across all lighting environments. Tinted glasses do not change color based on lighting and do not affect screens. Tinted lenses can be added to any pair of prescription lenses and many opticians will add a tint to lenses at no cost.
I still wear sunglasses when I am outside or when I am at places that have a large amount of bright lights, such as sporting events or band performances.
Related links
- How I Talk To Professors About Photosensitivity
- Adapting Band Uniforms For Sensory Processing Issues
Choosing a glasses tint color and frames
Tinted glasses come in a variety of colors and tint strengths, including blue, grey, brown, purple, pink, yellow, and others. To figure out what tint option will work best for an individual, I recommend meeting with a low vision specialist and/or optician to determine what color and tint strength will be needed. When choosing glasses frames with tinted lenses, I recommend avoiding clear or thin wire frames, as these tend to look strange with tinted lenses. I prefer to wear plastic or acrylic frames that complement the color of the tint.
My glasses are currently a Level 2 gray tint, which means that my eyes are visible through the glasses lenses but are partially obscured on camera, but my color vision is not affected. Some opticians offer sample lenses for testing out different tints and tint intensities. This was helpful when I was trying to figure out how dark I wanted to have my glasses. Level 3 tint is completely opaque.
Glasses tints are applied by dipping the lenses in a colored solution. Depending on the tint and prescription, lenses may take up to an hour to absorb tints. When getting glasses tinted, the tint color can be added or removed from lenses during the dyeing process if the color needs to be more/less intense
Related links
- Veronica’s Four Eyes: All About My Glasses For Low Vision
- How I Respond To Questions/Comments About My Glasses
How tinted glasses have helped me
Tinted glasses have made a tremendous difference for me in managing eye strain and photophobia in several different ways:
- Minimizing the glare from paper and screens when reading text, since white paper/screens can trigger a lot of glare
- Reducing the effect of bright lights in the classroom and workplace
- Making it easier to look at screens for longer periods of time
- Reducing head and eye pain that is triggered by bright lights
- Improving focus when reading or looking at screens
I still have to remember to take regular vision breaks and minimize bright lights when I can, but using tinted glasses has been a helpful strategy for reducing fatigue.
Related links
- Paper Colors And Low Vision
- Lighting And Low Vision
- Ten Ways To Reduce Eye Strain From Screens With Technology
- Five Common Technology Behaviors That Hurt My Brain
- How I Use My eReader For School and Online Classes
- Activity Ideas For Vision Breaks
- Smartphone Accessibility Settings For Photosensitivity
Do people notice my tinted glasses?
When I had a light Level 1 gray or brown tint in my glasses, no one noticed that I wore tinted glasses or asked me about it.
When I switched to having a darker/level 2 tint, it became more obvious that my glasses lenses were tinted, since my eyes are partially obscured by the tint but still visible. People would sometimes ask me if I was wearing sunglasses inside or at night, or I would be asked to remove my glasses when taking photos— I often have to get disability accommodations or approval to wear my tinted prescription glasses in exams or for ID photos
When it comes up, I mention that I am not wearing sunglasses, and that these are non-polarized tinted prescription lenses. People usually let me keep my glasses on when taking ID photos when I mention that they are prescription glasses and medically necessary. Though I have to admit, I do sometimes jokingly tell people I am wearing sunglasses at night in reference to the song.
Related links
- Seven Unexpected Disability Accommodations For Virtual Learning
- How I Respond To Questions/Comments About My Eyes
More thoughts on how tinted glasses have helped my light sensitivity
- Tinted glasses are different than blue light glasses that are used specifically for screens. Learn more about reducing blue light in Ten Ways To Reduce Eye Strain From Screens With Technology
- One of the primary characteristics of my low vision is double vision— learn more in Ten “Odd” Things I Do With Double Vision
- Wondering what my tinted glasses look like in different lighting? Check out some (unfiltered) photos of me on the following pages: About Veroniiiica and My Talk At A Future Date: What I Wish I Learned About AT Before Starting College
Published June 27, 2018. Updated June 2023