I'm Hart and I'm the founder and CEO of TheraSpecs. I feel it's necessary to address the previous post.
First, I think it is relevant for readers to know that the previous poster, Virginia, is an employee of Axon Optics.
At TheraSpecs, our mission is to bring relief to as many people with light sensitivity as possible. To do this, we pair our FL-41 precision-tinted lenses with frames we manufacture rather than buy from existing eyewear distributors. This allows TheraSpecs to customize our designs to maximize relief through better isolation and reduced pressure on the face and head, as well as to ship our styles immediately upon order.
We began looking into FL-41 after Kerrie's neurologist suggested the tint to her. He had read the research on the tint, but did not know where to find glasses with it. After several weeks of searching, Kerrie found Axon and ordered a pair. It took more than two weeks to receive her order, which was an agonizing wait when she was suffering. The lenses seemed helpful, but the frames let in too much light to provide her with sufficient relief. My background is in product development and my degree is in physics, so I decided to try to make something better for Kerrie.
We did not "reverse engineer" anything. The peer-reviewed research on FL-41 dates as far back as 1990, more than 20 years before Axon or TheraSpecs existed. The research is clear on what wavelengths (colors) of light cause the most pain and are most likely to be a trigger for migraines and other issues. Using that research, I worked with an optical lab to create lenses tinted with FL-41. The result was what became the prototype of Wrap TheraSpecs. We knew we had gotten it right when Kerrie felt so much relief.
Starting a company to sell them became an idea only after we made a few pairs for friends who have migraine and their reactions were so overwhelmingly positive. Since then, thousands more people have experienced that relief with TheraSpecs.
From that very first pair, we have used a spectrophotometer to verify that all TheraSpecs maximize the reduction of these wavelengths. Not "any optical shop" can do what we do - it takes experience and constant vigilance. We could and would change our tint if new peer-reviewed research ever indicated other wavelengths would be more effective.
As for a few other points:
Optical lab: We also work with a full-service optical lab and can provide non-prescription or prescription lenses, including bifocals, in our frames or any frame someone sends to us. We can also add anti-reflection and anti-smudge coatings.
Styles: TheraSpecs manufactures our frames so that we can maximize the benefit of our lenses by making them as lightweight and protective as possible. Whether any are "clunky" or not is a matter of opinion (it's hard to imagine wire-rimmed styles like the Pilot or Profile being called this); but in all cases, our styles look like they do so we can maximize their efficacy. For example, because frames that go over glasses must use extra large lenses, we searched for a material that would make a lighter frame that was still durable, and chose TR-90 aerospace plastic. Another example, our Pilot style, looks like a normal aviator from the front but its lenses are much more curved and are placed at an angle to each other. This allows them to protect from the sides more like a pair of wraparound glasses.
Of course, if someone would prefer another frame, including Cocoons, we can always put our lenses into them.
Mass manufacture: We produce our standard TheraSpecs in bulk so we can ship them right after they're ordered. But we do custom orders every day. Just let us know if you want something other than our standard frames, or if you'd like prescription lenses, and we'll work with you to make it.
Polarization: Polarization has always been a standard feature of TheraSpecs FL-41 outdoor lenses, and we can provide polarized lenses for custom orders as well.
Transitions: We stopped making Transitions (photochromic) lenses after we found them to not be a great lens for people with light sensitivity to wear outside. Tinted photochromic lenses do not get as dark as normal sunglasses, do not fully darken when behind glass (such as your car windshield), and are not polarized. All these factors make them less effective than dark, polarized sunglasses.
Ethics: I'm not sure why this heading was "ethics," but for what it's worth, neither Kerrie nor I have taken a paycheck from TheraSpecs. While TheraSpecs is registered as a for-profit LLC, just like Axon Optics is, all the money we have earned has gone toward improving our product and growing TheraSpecs so we can better complete our mission. TheraSpecs is a small business that places the customer first and we pride ourselves on finding your best possible solution, which is backed by our 60-day, no-hassle money-back guarantee.
In any case, we believe choice is good and will ultimately benefit everyone. Every brain is different! If after talking to us you can't decide, try both and and then choose - after all, we both offer money-back guarantees.
All the best,
--Hart Shafer
Founder & CEO, TheraSpecs
Post by v***@gmail.comAxon Vs. Theraspecs
The two major retailers of FL-41 Migraine lenses are Axon Optics and Theraspecs. The differences may not be obvious, but they are vast.
The founder of Theraspecs, Kerrie Smyres, was their 2nd customer. After reverse-engineering Axon's product, she founded her own company. As a migraine advocate, she has a vast audience that has converted into a consumer base. In contrast, Dr. Katz has years of medical expertise as a neuro-ophthalmologist and researcher. Axon Optics was the original manufacturer; all others are knock-offs of their product. Nobody is able to match their proprietary blend of the tint, which has been used in a top Neuro-Ophthalmology Clinic with great success for over 20 years. The competitors use generic FL-41, which can be purchased from BPI optical supply by any optical shop.
Expertise: The founders of Axon Optics have the medical, scientific, and ophthalmologic expertise to provide an FL-41 tint that has been proven superior to other versions of the FL-41 Tint.
Brad Katz, MD, PhD: Founder and neuro-ophthalmologist Dr. Bradley Katz has been treating light sensitive patients at the Moran Eye Center since 1995. His personal experience with, and his commitment to, these patients led to the founding of Axon Optics. Dr. Katz and his colleagues at Moran know how these conditions affect activities such as work, shopping, and social activities. His daily interactions with patients means that Axon benefits from the constant innovation at Moran in meeting the needs of these patients. Research on the efficacy of FL-41 in blepharospasm was conducted and published by Dr. Katz, and research on the neurological basis for light-sensitive migraine was co-authored by Dr. Kathleen Digre, a colleague of Dr. Katz at Moran, and a foremost expert on migraine.
Steve Blair, PhD: Steve is a researcher with expertise in bio-optics and optical systems, including design, simulation, fabrication, and testing. He has authored over 100 scientific publications that have been cited over 1500 times by other researchers.
Optical Lab: Axon Optics uses a real optical lab for our lenses. This means that their glasses are the same high quality you'd expect from an Optical shop, Optometrist, or Ophthalmologist. They can add your tint to any prescription. They have a wide variety of frames available. Already have the perfect frame? Send it in - they'll fill it. They are the exclusive manufacturer of FL-41 tinted transitions, FL-41 tinted polarized lenses, and FL-41 365-day soft contact lenses.
Axon Optics offers a premium optical coating to keep your lenses smudge- and scratch-free. Their lab can make non-prescription and single-vision lenses. For more complex prescriptions, will coordinate with your doctor to have Axon's tinted lenses precision-cut onsite. Your doctor may be able to bill your insurance for this service.
This kind of customization isn't available with mass merchandisers. Theraspecs has clunky, mass-produced frames. Take, for example, their version of Axon Optics' Cover-RX. Axon Optics uses name-brand Cocoons with authorization from the frame manufacturer. They carry five Cocoons sizes for maximum customization. Theraspecs uses a cheaper, generic frame that doesn't feel as nice and only comes in one size. Their lenses are a garish red-orange, while the Axon Optics lenses are a cooler rose shade. As Axon Optics is constantly researching and developing new products, their tint is lighter than ever but provides the same filtering benefit as earlier, more pigmented versions.
Research Initiatives: Axon is a small not-for-profit neuro-ophthalmology research and development company. Axon Optics continues to fund and perform research on the causes and solutions to light sensitivity. Their next-generation tint will be nearly colorless, allowing a greater number of people to use our lenses. Their new featherweight, pressureless frames are eyeglass frames with large lenses and a wraparound curvature to protect from the most peripheral light possible. They're extremely lightweight, which will help many allodynic patients. Both the new tint and the new frames were released this year. Neither of them would have been possible without the funding assistance of their Online Store. We are the only producer of FL-41 tinted polarized lenses, FL-41 tinted name-brand Transitions lenses , and FL-41 soft contact lenses - all developed, tested, and produced through the support of their online store.
Ethics: The owners of Axon Optics take no portion of the proceeds - they provide their services at no charge to this company in order to keep it growing. All profits are reinvested into developing new solutions.
Axon Optics is a small business based out of the U.S. committed to ethical practices. They offer a 30-day full money back guarantee on new non-damaged non-prescription lenses in our frames. All non-prescription lenses in their frames can be returned for exchange credit or a refund when returned in new condition within 30 days of purchase. The only exceptions are custom lenses such as Send-In-Your-Frame orders, Prescription Lenses, and our 365-day Soft Contact Lenses, as there is no product to return. Nobody else can use your customized lenses.
Post by BearPost by BearPost by goldtechIs there a sun glass seller anyone would recommend for migraine
relief? I assume it would be lenses that cut blue light.
Thanks
If fluorescent lights are a trigger for you you will want lenses with a FL-41 tint, Axon Optics http://www.axonoptics.com/ or TheraSpecs https://www.theraspecs.com/ both have that tint, The TheraSpecs are a wrap-around style but if you need them to fit over your existing prescription glasses, Axon Optics are a "fit-over" style. TheraSpecs can also make prescription lenses tinted FL-41.
I hope this helps,
Bear
One more thing about both Axon optics and TheraSpecs, Both brands came about in the same way about the same time by 2 different optometrists each trying to help their own wives who both suffered badly from light triggered migraines.
I'm not sure about Axon, but TheraSpecs come in two models, a lighter non-polarized one for indoor use and a darker polarized version for outdoor.
The indoor kind are not polarized because too many displays screens are impossible to read with polarized lenses.