If you’ve seen Johnny Depp out and about in the UK recently promoting Alice in Wonderland, you may have noticed his black geek specs and blue tinted lenses. (Our scrutiny of his specs was the only reason for spending hours looking at his pictures, honestly!!) Light tints are an interesting topic, as many patients cannot literally see the point of them, while others swear by them. So could they have a role to play in your eye wear wardrobe?
The density of a tint is indicated by a transmission percentage. So a light tint, which allows most of the light through, might be about 85% transmission. This pale colour will slightly affect your colour perception, depending on the colour you choose, but will still be legal to drive at night. There are many benefits of a light tint even though it does not act as a sunspec tint in bright sunlight.
Patients with very sensitive eyes feel that a hint of a tint helps to make their vision more comfortable indoors, or even for computer use. That slight protection from glare soothes the eyes. Migraine sufferers often like a tint, as does anyone with very light coloured eyes.
Cosmetically many Ladies feel a warm pink tint enlivens their complexion, and can detract from those pesky wrinkles! If you have a rosy complexion grey tints can calm things down a bit. Tints are nice on a rimless frame, to give definition to the shape and soften the twinkly effect of the cut lens edges.
Dyslexics often find their condition is helped by the right shade of tint, there is a whole science built around the affect of a coloured lens or overlay sheet to help give clarity to their reading matter. This is a complex subject and correct diagnosis of the visual defect and/or extent of the Dyslexia gives rise to the perfect filter colour for each individual patient.
Other than for Dyslexic patients the choice of tint density and colour is an entirely personal choice, and it’s up to you as the patient to decide whether a hint of colour will benefit you. Your optician or online optician will be happy to make recommendations if you think a tint will help you. (That includes you Johnny Depp! Call me anytime, it’s absolutely no problem!)