Photo courtesy of Dr. Julie Helmus, who is seen here with her son, Casey. Dr. Helmus, who is wearing Avulux lenses, prescribes Avulux glasses for both adult and children patients to address light sensitivity and migraines.
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Spectacle lens that addresses migraines in adults AND kids
By Julie Helmus, OD
July 23, 2025
As an optometrist practicing comprehensive primary care, I see every age group. About 15 to 20 percent of my patients are under 18, and their needs are both dynamic and evolving.
One area I’ve become passionate about is supporting children and adolescents who experience migraines and/or light sensitivity—often underrecognized issues with significant impacts on quality of life and learning.
Migraine in children and adolescents is linked to significant disability, including mental health issues, impaired learning, poor academic performance and disrupted sleep patterns. It can also lead to children withdrawing from social activities and missing school.
Fortunately, I discovered a product that is helping my young patients with light sensitivity and migraines as much as my adult patients: Avulux.
Here is how these spectacle lenses are changing my young patients’ lives, and how I educate both kids and their parents about the advantages of glasses designed specifically to address migraines.
Pediatric Appointments: The Back-to-School Rush and Beyond
Back-to-school season starts in earnest for us in August, with a major surge the week before classes begin. Parents and students scramble for last-minute exams, but we also see a steady trickle throughout the summer.
What’s invigorating in pediatric practice is witnessing such rapid changes in our young patients. Their evolving needs, particularly regarding conditions like myopia or light sensitivity and migraines, make these visits rewarding and consistently challenging.
The Hidden Burden: Migraine and Headaches in Children
If there’s one myth that needs busting, it’s the idea that migraines are just for adults or that children eventually “grow out of it.”
When kids complain about headaches, parents commonly attribute symptoms to dehydration, puberty, poor sleep or too much screen time—anything but migraine. I make it a point to address the child directly, gently draw out their true symptoms and encourage honest conversation. More often than not, the family is surprised at what surfaces; the child’s nuanced description of their pain doesn’t always fit into the established boxes.
The reality? Migraine is frequently a chronic condition. While triggers may change—puberty, hormones and stress—most don’t simply outgrow it. This misunderstanding delays helpful interventions and may leave kids suffering through some of the most critical developmental years of their lives.
Non-Pharmaceutical Options: Why Optical Lenses Matter
When confronting treatment options, parents are often wary of medications for their children. Many migraine pharmaceuticals aren’t well-studied in pediatric populations and options like the anti-CGRP class of medications are FDA approved only for those over the age of 18. This hesitancy makes a strong case for non-pharmaceutical approaches, and that’s where Avulux lenses have so positively impacted my pediatric practice.
I emphasize to families: these lenses aren’t a “sentence for life.” Most pediatric patients benefit from part-time wear, primarily during computer use, fluorescent-lit classrooms or other periods when light sensitivity or headache risk is heightened. The mild tint is often well-tolerated—certainly less conspicuous than previous generations’ visible colored tints. In-clinic demonstrations help kids and their parents understand what to expect.
Importantly, these lenses offer a safe, side effect-free option. According to a recent survey of parents with children suffering from migraine conducted by Avulux and the Consortium for Technology & Innovation in Pediatrics (CTIP), 99% of parents consider side effects of a medical treatment to be an important factor when evaluating treatment options for their children.
And with flexible options—prescription or plano, clip-on or full frames—tailoring for the child’s specific needs and lifestyle is straightforward.
Screening and Value: An Opportunity for Meaningful Care
One of the biggest clinical takeaways I can offer colleagues: don’t wait for a textbook presentation of migraine. Use a standard screening tool and ask about light sensitivity, headaches and the specific impact on school, homework or daily activities. Many children simply lack the vocabulary to describe their discomfort, and biases from adults can cloud the conversation.
Screening, recommending and monitoring lens use turns what could be a single routine eye exam into an extended, value-rich relationship. You can schedule follow-up visits one to three months after dispensing lenses, both to assess benefit and reinforce our patient connections. The loyalty and gratitude from families whose children can finally participate more fully in life is palpable.
Addressing Concerns: Cost, Coverage and Communication
Cost is a real consideration. Optical specialty lenses for migraine and light sensitivity are not currently covered by insurance—something I appreciate as a business owner but hope will change to improve accessibility.
Right now, the value must be clear. I explain to parents: the price point (typically in the $450 range for a magnetic clip-on and higher for glasses) is directly tied to an improvement in their child’s quality of life—fewer missed school days, improved participation and relief from ongoing suffering.
Many families, especially those who have already spent heavily seeking answers, see it as an investment. Financing, HSA/FSA eligibility and use of insurance to purchase frames can all ease the financial toll.
In our practice, the average revenue per patient rises from the high $500s to about $950 when these specialty lenses are part of the care plan. Beyond profitability, though, offering these lenses differentiates our office. It shows a commitment to seeing the whole patient and elevates our reputation through authentic, meaningful care.
Serving More than Migraines: Concussion, Light Sensitivity and Unique Pediatric Needs
Migraines aren’t the only reason for light sensitivity in children. Sports play a huge role in young lives, and I regularly see kids suffering from light sensitivity after concussion—whether from soccer, basketball or other activities. While these symptoms may resolve over months, the interruption to learning and daily activity can be significant. Having a noninvasive, quick-to-implement option for these patients is invaluable.
Final Thoughts: Why Every Optometrist Should Consider This Option
Offering migraine and light sensitivity lenses to pediatric patients is rewarding and simple to implement. The science is solid, the options are kid-friendly and the need is there. Most importantly, pediatric migraine and light sensitivity are not going away—they deserve the same focused attention we give to refractive error or myopia management. With Avulux’s 90-day satisfaction guarantee, there’s little risk in trial.
If you take one lesson from my experience, let it be this: ask every young patient about headaches and light sensitivity. Be prepared to talk to parents about the realities of migraine as a chronic condition. Share this nonpharmaceutical tool that can profoundly change a child’s school experience and daily comfort.
As optometrists, we are uniquely qualified to detect, treat and advocate for these kids. Our patients—and their futures—depend on it.
Read another article by Dr. Helmus
Julie Helmus, OD, is a second-generation optometrist and owner of Helmus Optometry in Davis, Calif. To contact her: dr.julie.helmus@helmusoptometry.com
