FL-41 Tinted eyeglasses for Autism

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I have been wearing prescription eyeglasses with a specific tint to the lenses which is called "FL-41" tint for about nine months exclusively now. "FL-41" is the reference name used by the optical industry and optical labs that refers specifically to the color of the tint. FL-41 tint can be light, medium or dark and therefore can be used for daily eyeglasses to sunglasses depending on the darkness of the tint.

What is FL-41 tint and why do I have that tint on my glasses?

The tint looks like the picture below. The picture is not of me; it's a picture I copied from the internet. The glasses look somewhat similar to mine.



FL- tint filters light in the blue spectrum. It softens it. It does not eliminate blue light. Blue skies are still blue. I can still discern that things are blue. The tint helps my eyes relax. I feel noticeably calmer than before I had the tint. Two things in life that are ubiquitous and give off harsh blue light? Computer screens and "cool" fluorescent lights. FL- tint is amazing at nullifying the harshness of computer screens and fluorescent lights. When I put the glasses on for the first time under fluorescent lights, my reaction was "Wow! I want to wear these all the time!" And I have been. They've been a tremendous help in going to public places that have bright fluorescent lights.

FL-41 tint has been shown to reduce migraines in people who suffer chronic migraines as well. There are many other issues that people wear FL-41 lenses for as well including photophobia and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) and autism.

How did I get my FL-41 tinted glasses?

I had a new pair of prescription eyeglasses made within the last year because I needed a new pair. I then learned of FL-41 tint and asked the optical shop I got my glasses from if they could tint the lenses of those glasses. They said that the lab that makes their glasses could certainly do that. They obtained samples of the degrees of tint from the lab (large circles of lens material) and I went to the shop to look at the samples. I chose the darkness that it similar to the picture I posted above. There was a much darker option that was something used mainly for sunglasses. They sent away my glasses and in about a week they were ready. I couldn't be happier with them and will have all my future glasses tinted this way.

How did I hear about FL-41 tint? The credit goes to an autistic woman and gifted speaker from the UK, Sarah Hendrickx. I watched some of her Youtube videos on autism and wondered why her glasses were tinted that way. I emailed her through her website and her husband who handles her PR got back to me very promptly and kindly explained what the tint was.

Hopefully this information is helpful to others too!

I wear blue-light glasses all day too. It's the difference between my autism being a manageable disorder, or a major disability.

This light situation isn't getting any better with the rise of the LED and the constant use of screens; modern decor too seeks to create a sunny look but instead gives sterile dystopian hellscapes lighted by electricity.

Glasses. They're so simple, but so necessary to a lot of autistic people.

Not a fancy tint with scientific details on how the material is made of?

Just a literal rose colored lens in glasses?

If so, might consider any changes with my glasses anytime soon.


Because, I've never paid close attention to my own visual sensitivities.
Yet I consider subtle-like sensitivities.
My head will say I'm hurt/pressured/already overwhelmed, while my conscious mind either ignores the whole time or do not register.

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Well, it is!

^ Thanks for researching that, Edna. I never put the two together: FLuorescent / FL-41.

Why would you want to suppress the blue light? Me personally, when the weather is nice and the sky is blue, I feel happier.

I don't like wearing colored glasses, it feels a bit unnatural. I am sure I can get used to them though once I keep them on for a couple of minutes. But I prefer to just go without them.

The tint doesn't filter out blue light in the sense that the color blue is removed. I like the color blue and it's still there when wearing the glasses. In terms of fluorescent lighting and "color temperature", bulbs seem to typically be classified as "warm" or "cool". "Cool" fluorescent lights emit more blue wavelengths and the FL-41 tint filters or subdues them. "Cool" fluorescent bulbs don't seem blue. When I think of "blue" light I think of those actual colored lightbulbs that come in red, green, blue, etc.

I have the opposite. My lenses are tinted blue to filter out yellow light which gives me headaches.

Hmm...

I'm not sure which light wavelengths gives me headache if exposed for 10 mins, which would after over few hours or which won't ever.

Or, the vulnerability might not been inherent autistic visual sensitivities at all but reactionary to my cycle.


I think I should start with tinted lens that lowers light intensity in general.
Then maybe as soon as a year after I'd start up from blue light to yellow...

Because either lights did gave me headaches at certain intensities.

Sometimes I found myself switching between 'cool' and 'warm' light screen settings.
Even now with my phone's settings, or my room during daytimes between the room's light and the sun through the window.
Or being comfortable with one yet not with another.

And I thought there's more than enough inconsistency...

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