Screen tint vs FL-41 glasses for migraine: what the evidence says

Updated 2026-11-02

Quick answerFL-41 glasses filter all light reaching your eyes, while a screen tint only changes the screen. The best result for rose lenses is a 1991 study of 20 children. In a 2016 adult trial, a 480 nm notch filter was not better than a sham filter. The Migraine Trust says evidence is insufficient to recommend glasses.

FL-41 glasses

  • Filter room light, screens and daylight.
  • Good 1991: fewer attacks in 20 children.
  • Hoggan 2016: 480 nm notch no better than 620 nm sham; both improved.

Screen tint

  • Only the screen; costs less to try.
  • Migraine Mode's default is soft green, based on studies of green light.

Honest take

  • Neither has strong evidence.
  • Ask an eye doctor before buying tinted lenses.

FAQ

Are FL-41 glasses worth it?

Evidence is small and mixed; some people find them comfortable.

Why isn't Migraine Mode's default rose?

Red light worsened headache in Noseda 2016 and red-enriched light was worse in Fani 2026.

Sources

  • Good PA, Taylor RH, Mortimer MJ. The use of tinted glasses in childhood migraine. Headache, 1991. Link
  • Hoggan RN et al. Thin-film optical notch filter spectacle coatings for the treatment of migraine and photophobia. J Clin Neurosci, 2016. Link
  • The Migraine Trust. Migraine and light. Link
  • Noseda R, … Burstein R. Migraine photophobia originating in cone-driven retinal pathways. Brain, 2016. Link
  • Fani M, Sharp N, Schwedt TJ, et al. Reducing light sensitivity during and between migraine attacks: a prospective study investigating spectral tuning of white light. Cephalalgia 2026. Link

Not a medical device and not medical advice. Migraine Mode is a screen-comfort tool: it does not diagnose, treat, cure or prevent migraine or any other condition, and it does not replace a doctor. Its settings are based on studies of light, colour, flicker, patterns and motion; the extension itself has not been clinically tested. When to see a doctor.