Chromatic Filters & Tinted Lenses for Visual Snow Syndrome

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Chromatic Filters & Tinted Lenses for Visual Snow Syndrome

Welcome to our guide on chromatic filters and tinted lenses for Visual Snow Syndrome (VSS). This guide will provide you with information about how chromatic filters and tinted lenses can be effective treatment options for VSS symptoms.

What Are Chromatic Filters and Tinted Lenses?

Chromatic Filters: Target specific colors (wavelengths) in the light spectrum, selectively blocking or dimming particular hues that may aggravate VSS symptoms and cause discomfort. For VSS, filters often focus on reducing wavelengths in the blue light range.

Tinted Lenses: Eyeglasses or contact lenses with a colored tint that functions similarly to chromatic filters. They modify the amount and type of light reaching the eyes, helping to reduce symptoms by dimming certain wavelengths that cause discomfort in VSS patients.

The Relationship Between Color and VSS

Research suggests that VSS may occur from disruptions in brain pathways that process blue-yellow color vision. This theory, known as “thalamocortical dysrhythmia,” implies that disruptions in color processing can create static or visual snow. Patients with VSS often prefer yellow-blue filters.

Yellow-blue filters help people with VSS by interacting with specific eye cells called S-cones, which are sensitive to blue light. In VSS, these S-cones are overstimulated, contributing to the static or visual snow symptom. By reducing the amount of blue light reaching the S-cones, yellow-blue filters calm their response, minimizing overstimulation and,therefore, reducing the intensity of visual snow. This filtering provides relief and makes the visual experience clearer and more comfortable for people with VSS.

How Chromatic Filters and Tinted Lenses Help with VSS

Studies have shown that chromatic filters and tinted lenses can be highly effective for many people with VSS, with around 80–90% of patients experiencing symptom relief with specific tints.
These filters and lenses can also reduce related symptoms, such as:

In combination with eye movement tracking therapies, chromatic lenses have shown success rates over 90% in managing VSS symptoms.

Chromatic filters and tinted lenses can assist in several areas:

Reading: By reducing visual noise and afterimages, filters can help improve focus and reduce distractions which can make reading easier.
Computer Use: Lenses can help keep visual snow in the background, making it easier to concentrate on tasks.
Driving: Especially helpful for night driving or under bright conditions, tints can improve focus and reduce glare.

Selecting the Right Chromatic Tint

Precision Tints or Lenses

If available, the Intuitive Colorimeter (IC) from Cerium Visual Technologies can help patients with VSS find a tailored “precision tint” to reduce their symptoms. This device enables an eye care specialist to adjust color hue, saturation, and brightness, allowing the patient to view patterns and identify the tint that provides the most relief. Once the optimal tint is selected, its specifications are recorded for future use.

Contact Local Eye Care Providers: Ask your optometrist, ophthalmologist, neuro-ophthalmologist, or call local eye care clinics to see if they offer the Intuitive Colorimeter service or can recommend a provider who does.

Schedule an Appointment: Once you find a clinic with the IC, schedule an appointment. During the session, the eye care specialist will adjust color settings to identify the ideal tint for symptom relief.

Get a Custom Prescription: After determining the best tint, the clinic will record the specifications so they can order the custom lens.

General Tints or Lenses

For patients without access to an IC, lenses like FL-41, BPI-Omega, and Percept Corporation’s narrow-band filters are designed to target specific wavelengths, especially in the blue light range, to reduce VSS symptoms. These lenses can improve comfort during activities such as screen use and reading.

Types of Lenses

FL-41 Lenses

FL-41 lenses filter a broad range within the blue-green spectrum and are designed to reduce symptoms related to photosensitivity and glare, making environments with artificial or fluorescent lighting more comfortable for individuals with VSS. Fl-41 lenses are recommended for mixed lighting conditions, such as office spaces or during screen use, where lighting fluctuations can trigger discomfort.

Available from: Eschenbach Optik and Chadwick Optical

BPI-Omega and BPI-Mu Lenses

BPI-Omega and BPI-Mu lenses are specifically designed to filter shorter blue wavelengths, and are designed to reduce light sensitivity and visual snow, making them particularly beneficial for individuals with VSS who experience symptoms in high screen-use environments and under intense artificial lighting. BPI lenses are recommended for prolonged screen exposure and outdoor sunlight.

Available from: BPI (Brain Power Incorporated)

Percept Narrow-Band Lenses

Percept Corporation’s lenses use precise narrow-band filtering to block specific problematic wavelengths, reducing visual disturbances by targeting only the most triggering blue light while preserving natural color perception and brightness. These lenses are ideal for individuals with Visual Snow Syndrome (VSS) who require accurate color vision in variable lighting conditions, such as those working in fields like graphic design, tailoring, or surgery, where visual detail is critical.

Available from: Percept Corporation

While not yet thoroughly researched specifically for VSS, the following options have shown great potential based on physician feedback and patient experiences. They are currently available in some clinics, such as those led by Dr. Charles Shidlofsky, and provide significant support for managing VSS symptoms. Continued research will help further evaluate their benefits.

Green-Tinted Lenses

Green-tinted lenses are effective for VSS patients with migraines by filtering up to 97% of harmful blue, amber, and red light while letting in over 70% of calming green light. These lenses help reduce migraine attacks and light-triggered pain by preventing overstimulation of eye cells sensitive to light.

Available from: Avalux

Tinted Contact Lenses

Tinted contact lenses are an alternative to tinted glasses. They ar ideal for sports or activities where glasses are not practical.

Available from: Altius

Follow-Up and Adjustment

Follow-up visits are essential for evaluating the tint’s effectiveness over time. Appointments at 1, 3, and 6 months allow for adjustments, ensuring you get the best relief possible. With regular testing and fine-tuning, chromatic tints offer a personalized approach to managing VSS symptoms, helping patients feel more comfortable and focused in their daily lives.

Visual Snow Syndrome Research on Chromatic Filters and Tinted Lenses

“Short-Wave Sensitive (‘Blue’) Cone Activation Is an Aggravating Factor for Visual Snow Symptoms” — Color Modulation Impacts VSS, Certain Brain Pathways May Be Responsible for Pathogensis

December 6, 2021

Researchers Jenny L. Hepschke, Paul R. Martin, and Clare L. Fraser Highlights “Our results show that visual snow symptoms are…

Visual Snow Syndrome (VSS): An Evolving Neuro-Optometric Clinical Perspective

May 11, 2023

Researchers Kenneth J. Ciuffreda, OD, Ph.D. Barry Tannen, OD M.H. Esther Han, OD SUNY/College of Optometry, Brain Injury Clinical Research…

Neuro-optometric treatment for visual snow syndrome: recent advances

June 16, 2023

Researchers Kenneth J Ciuffreda , Barry Tannen, Daniella Rutner & MH Esther Han Abstract The condition of visual snow syndrome…

Visual Snow Syndrome: Visual Consequences, Diagnosis, and Treatment

April 10, 2024

Kenneth J. Ciuffreda OD, PhD, FARVO, FCOVD-A, FAAO, Diplomate in Binocular Vision, FNAP, Barry Tannen OD, FAAO, FCOVD, Noah Tannen OD, FCOVD, FAAO, Daniella Rutner OD, MS, MBA, FAAO, FCOVD, FNAP,…

Note: Providers may customize treatment plans based on your VSS symptoms, preferences, medical history, and in-office assessment results. Outcomes can vary depending on these factors.

This information is provided for educational purposes only, to support individuals in making informed decisions about their care in consultation with a qualified medical professional familiar with VSS.

For more research-supported treatment options for Visual Snow Syndrome (VSS) symptoms—both noninvasive and pharmacological—please return to the following page: Treating Visual Snow

Support Visual Snow Syndrome Research

All donations to the Visual Snow Initiative go directly to Visual Snow Syndrome (VSS) research.

Your tax-deductible contribution ensures that global research will continue and makes a positive difference in the lives of people affected by VSS.

Watch Now: Sierra Domb Announces Historic ICD Milestone for Visual Snow Syndrome Sierra Domb Shares 2024 VSI Updates on Visual Snow Syndrome VSI Website Walkthrough New VSI Video Series with Dr. Peter Goadsby TEDx: What is Visual Snow? Transforming Anguish Into Action

Chromatic Filters & Tinted Lenses for Visual Snow Syndrome

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