10th January 2012

Migraine Trust quoted in Daily Mail article about tinted lenses and migraine

Today's Daily Mail features an article about tinted lenses, including a quote from our trustee, Dr Mark Weatherall (Consultant Neurologist). To read the full Daily Mail article please click here. This article refers to a study that was published in the journal Cephalalgia in May 2011. The study showed that prescribed tinted lenses (or 'POTs' - precision ophthalmic tints) may reduce activity in the brain that is associated with migraine attacks.

Dr Mark Weatherall was quoted in today's Daily Mail saying: ‘There is a small but reasonable proportion of migraine sufferers who are sensitive to visual input. I have referred people down this route with mixed results. There may be potential for the use of prescribed precision ophthalmic tints in reducing migraine attacks, but further research would be useful. It’s also important to remember that there is no standard treatment for migraine. Sufferers should always consult their doctor to get a firm diagnosis and individual treatment advice.’

When the study was published in May 2011, The Migraine Trust also issued a response. Wendy Thomas, chief executive of The Migraine Trust, said:

“We welcome these findings which show there may be potential for the therapeutic use of prescribed precision ophthalmic tints (POTs) in reducing migraine attacks. Research suggests that people with migraine have a more than usually sensitive, or 'hyperexcitable' brain. Due to this sensitivity, migraine sufferers can find that their attacks may be triggered by a variety of factors, including stressful visual stimuli. This study used stressful visual stimuli to induce activity in the brain’s visual cortex. The researchers found that POTs suppressed some of this activity and reduced the level of visual discomfort. The study is small, and further research into POTs by larger groups and in practical applications, would be interesting and useful.”

For further information about migraine please visit the 'Information for sufferers' section of our website. 


Study details:
Jie Huang, Xiaopeng Zong, Arnold Wilkins, Brian Jenkins, Andrea Bozoki and Yue Cao. fMRI evidence that precision ophthalmic tints reduce cortical hyperactivation in migraine. Cephalalgia, 26 May 2011.

For press enquiries please contact Kate Scurr on 020 7631 6983 or at kscurr@migrainetrust.org.