Tag: fluorescent lights

Books & Products, Triggers

Fluorescent Lights and Migraine Attacks

Kerrie Smyres

fluorescent light migraineJust a day after I got caught out without ear plugs, I exposed myself to another migraine trigger common in public spaces — fluorescent lights. I am never without TheraSpecs, but I occasionally take them off for a few seconds when I need confirm an exact color match (like choosing embroidery floss). That’s what I intended to do, but got so absorbed in what I was doing that I left them off for 10 minutes.

Lo and behold, a migraine began with a spate of icky symptoms — dizziness, disorientation, nausea, wooziness and irritability. I was unhappy about the migraine, but was pleased by the illustration of just how effective indoor TheraSpecs are.

Because I wear TheraSpecs all the time, it has been so long since fluorescent lights have triggered a migraine for me that I forgot just how quickly a severe migraine follows exposure. The difference really is astonishing. Of course I knew the improvement was dramatic — Hart and I wouldn’t have started TheraSpecs if it weren’t — but I hadn’t experienced it in so long that I’d forgotten just how big the change is.

So many triggers are impossible to avoid that it’s such a relief to find a way to ward off any of them. With ear plugs and TheraSpecs, I have two of the three major triggers covered… if only I could find something to get rid of smells in stores.

Books & Products, Symptoms, Triggers

TheraSpecs Pilot: Stylish Aviator With a Curved Lens for Maximum Protection

Kerrie Smyres

I’m so excited to finally be able to announce that TheraSpecs Pilot, an aviator frame with a curved lens for maximum light protection, is now available. I’ve been wearing a prototype for months and love them so much that I’ve been dying to tell you about them!

Although Pilot looks like a classic aviator from the front, the lenses are curved for a wrap effect, so they block light really well. The golden metal alloy frame compliments the rosy hue of the TheraSpecs tint, plus it is very lightweight. Add in soft silicone nose pads and spring hinges and this eyewear is super comfortable in addition to looking great. Although aviators aren’t usually my style, I like Pilot so much that I wear them almost exclusively as my indoor frame.

Even better, we’re offering a 30% introductory discount off the regular price of $99 for indoors and $129 for outdoor polarized lenses. Order your Pilots this month and you’ll automatically receive the discount — that’s $69.30 for a pair of indoors and $90.30 for outdoors.

Pilot-combo-F+A

Books & Products, Coping, Treatment, Triggers

Migraine Light Sensitivity and Fluorescent Light Headaches

Kerrie Smyres

National Migraine Awareness Month Blog Challenge, Day 8: “Let there be light.” Most migraineurs have issues with light sensitivity. What do you do to cope with it?

Well, this one is easy for me: TheraSpecs migraine glasses! TheraSpecs was born after my headache specialist warned me that wearing sunglasses all the time was actually making my eyes more sensitive to light and that a special precision tint was available for glasses that would help with photophobia without increasing my over all light sensitivity. Researching that information, we found that this tint is also excellent for managing sensitivity to fluorescent light.

Many people report headaches from fluorescent lights, either in the long tubes like you see at stores or CFLs for home use. It appears the problem is that fluorescent lights flicker faster than the eye can consciously see, but the brain still picks up on that flicker, which can cause many people to feel sick. TheraSpecs protect the eyes and brain by filtering out the wavelengths of light where the flicker is concentrated, relieving the symptoms fluorescent lights can cause.

Learn more about TheraSpecs and get your own pair (and relief) today! US shipping is free and international shipping is half off through Friday, June 15 in honor of National Migraine Awareness Month light sensitivity day.

National Migraine Awareness Month is initiated by the National Headache Foundation. The Blogger’s Challenge is initiated by Fighting Headache Disorders.

Coping, Triggers

Trip to Ikea Without a Meltdown or Migraine!

Kerrie Smyres

Fluorescent lights, new furniture smells, swarms of shoppers wandering without regard to others, groups enraptured by the store’s wonders and standing in the walkway, the inability to get through the store without walking the predefined path. The joys of Ikea. Despite these obstacles, I like the place.

It’s just that I have a meltdown nearly every time I shop at Ikea. The plethora of migraine triggers and my inability to regulate time or make decisions while I’m there add to the aforementioned obstacles.

I strategize before each Ikea excursion. I need:

  • To eat enough ahead of time to sustain me
  • Caffeine, but not too much
  • A large, full water bottle
  • Sunglasses
  • To go when the store opens
  • Hart, to keep me on track (although this often backfires as he is mesmerized by the possibilities)

I usually don’t follow my guidelines. This was no exception. I’d eaten, but was hungry by the time I parked. I ordered three shots in my latte instead of the usual two. My large water bottle was dirty, so I had to settle for the 14 ouncer. The sunglasses spent more time on top of my head than on my face. I arrived an hour after the store opened. Hart was at work.

I kind of stuck with the plan and it seems to have worked. No shaking, fuming or tears. No migraine. I did however, buy more curtains than I have windows to cover. The kicker is that I ran an hour of errands afterward, drove the 30 minutes home and rested for another 30; then I wrote for two hours before picking Hart up.

The day after wasn’t even too bad. My head was bad in the morning, but no other symptoms were present. I met Hart for lunch and ran some errands. I felt icky and headachy in the afternoon, so I rested for a bit between doing things around the house.

It was a big accomplishment. I feel like I can tackle the trip to return the extra curtains. If I adhere to my strategy even better, I might achieve a greater level of accomplishment.