We have received numerous requests recently for a particular lens tint from Brain Power Inc, called BPI 500/550. Here is the lowdown.
Brain Power Inc is a lens tint manufacturer. Many, but not all of our lens dyes are from BPI, and we use them in special combinations with our polycarbonate lenses to achieve the optimal blue light filtration/transmittance balance in various colors to address particular issues. Our tints are designed to protect your eyes but to also look nice and be comfortable to see through. We created the lens tints based on the latest scientific research related to computer use, computer vision syndrome, and blue light related issues.
Just so you know, there are various lens dyes that are designed to address certain health issues like migraines, pre and post cataract surgery, brain trauma, retinitus pigmentosa, night blindness, aphakia/pseudo aphakia, and many other conditions. These lens tints are typically recommended by Doctors to their patients to be used for a specific time and/or over a period of time.
One of these tints is the BPI 500/550. In plastic CR39 lenses, this dye filters UV and blue light up to 500 to 550nm depending on how saturated the lenses are. BPI 500/550 is designed to address migraines, color blindness, aphakia/pseudo aphakia, post operative cataract surgery and other issues.
For the vast majority of people, this lens tint filters way more blue light than is necessary or recommended. Every expert from Optometrists to research physicists in this field are saying that it is very important to protect your eyes from HEV blue light, but that some blue light is very beneficial and needed for optimal vision and overall health.
Over the past 2 weeks I have been contacted by 7 people asking if I can do this tint. (I am not sure why this is a "thing" but okay...) The short answer is yes I can, and I provide instructions below on how to order it.
My concern here is that people are:
under the mistaken impression that all blue light is bad.
are getting their information from snake oil salesmen on the intertubes.
are self-prescribing tint solutions to problems they have that could be unrelated to blue light.
1. Not all blue light is bad and the science backs this up.
2. If you are a "follower" of a online "alternative medicine doctor", please go to Google, type in the doctor's name and add quackwatch, and see what comes up. You may be surprised.
3. If you are looking at a computer screen or cell phone/tablet all day long and are having issues with eye strain, glare, etc..., then a blue block solution would probably help, however there can be other mitigating causes. Your vision can be affected by pregnancy, medication, diet, and stress. If you suffer from eye strain, get your eyes examined. For goodness sake, please do this every year or two.
Also, if you are self-prescribing a lens type with or without magnification, you can still be way off as some people require vision correction for astigmatism that when corrected, can help tremendously in reducing eye strain. You may not need +1.00 reading glasses for example. You may need a minor correction (something like, +.50 -0.75 x130 in one eye.) This type of lens correction can drastically sharpen what you are viewing.
Again, please get an eye exam and then come to us to fill it. Consult with your Eye Doctor about any health issues you have.
Tell your doctor what we offer. If they are not clued in to what we do, please tell them to contact us as we have a in office program with trial glasses and informational materials for their practice.
Mojo BluBlock Therapy Orange Tint - a Better Option
We use the BPI 500/550 dye in addition to other dyes to produce this filter. This lens tint filters over 74% of blue light/HEV and 100% of UV light and still allows beneficial light through. The lens is polycarbonate. You can see the spectrogram details here with all of our other tint options:
http://www.readingglassesetc.com/pages/mojo-blublock-tints-details-and-spectrograms.html
So, if you still want the BPI 500/550 tint, here is how to purchase them:
Find a full frame. The lenses will be plastic CR39 and will not work in rimless frames.
Select the lens power(s) Zero to +4.00 in either eye.
Select Mojo BluBlock Therapy Orange Tint.
At checkout, type in the comments section, 'CR39 BPI 500/550'
The BPI 500/550 is a very intense orange-red tint. All of our tinted lenses are tested to meet our standards using special spectrometers. We do not accept returns on these.