Irlen® Syndrome Interested in Glasses?
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Ready For Your Own Irlen® Spectral Filters?
Your guide to a seamless process
Are you ready to get Irlen® Spectral Filters? Below are a few tips to help you prepare for your Irlen® Diagnostic appointment. Use this guide to ensure you have everything you need for a successful tinting appointment and are ready to order your lenses.
1. See Your Eye Doctor
Address any eye health or vision-related issues and get an updated optical prescription if necessary. If you plan to have your eye doctor supply your prescription lenses for tinting, bring an Irlen® lens waiver (you can get this waiver from a Screener or a Diagnostitian) with you to your appointment, so the doctor knows the exact specifications required for lenses to be tinted in an Irlen® Lab. The Irlen® Lab can supply your prescription lenses if you prefer.
2. Find a Frame
You can supply your own optical-quality frame or pick one from our recommended name-brand options (Purchase an Irlen®-recommended frame). Tips for choosing a frame: 1) Look for frames that provide good coverage from peripheral light if you are highly light-sensitive. These include wrap-style frames and frames with larger lenses and thicker sides for full protection. 2) If your optical prescription or Irlen® colorscription changes frequently, you may consider a clip-on frame to allow for easy independent adjustments of both color and RX. 3) Clear plastic and wire frames provide little protection from light and may cause glare and uncomfortable light reflection.
3. Get Used to Your New Optical Prescription
It can take the brain up to two weeks to adjust to a new optical prescription. If you have a new prescription, a significant change to your prescription, and especially if you are receiving progressive lenses for the first time, you may want to wear your prescription for a few weeks before your tinting appointment. Inexpensive prescription lenses can be purchased from online providers such as Zenni Optical to wear before and during your tinting appointment, if you plan to have the Irlen® Lab supply the lenses for your Irlen® Spectral Filters.
4. Prescription Requirements
If the Irlen® Lab is supplying your prescription lenses, make sure your optical prescription from the eye doctor includes all of the following information:
Current (unexpired) prescription
Pupillary distance (PD): distance PD (single vision), mono PD (progressives), near PD (bifocals)
Segment height (for progressives and bifocals only)
5. Lens Requirements
If you plan to supply your own prescription lenses for tinting, they must satisfy the following requirements:
Uncoated CR39 plastic (preferred)
Uncoated high-impact resistant lenses, industrial thickness 3.0 (required for children under 18 years and semi-rimless frames)
High index with a tintable hardcoat
DO NOT send polycarbonate lenses
DO NOT send Trivex lenses
DO NOT send lenses with AR coating, scratch coating, UV hardcoat, blue light filters
DO NOT send lenses provided by LensCrafters and Costco, as they provide the Dura Lens that is not tintable
Please note that lenses provided by online providers such as Zenni Optical do not satisfy tinting requirements and can not be tinted by the Irlen® Lab.
6. Caring For and Cleaning Your Lenses
Irlen® Spectral Filters are individually tinted using custom-colored optical dyes. To maintain maximum filtering properties of the lenses, only use Irlen® Lens Cleaner or mild (hand) soap and water with a soft, 100% cotton or clean microfiber cloth to clean your lenses.
Never use regular glasses cleaner or other cleaning products, as they contain chemicals that can strip the color from your lenses.
If your lenses have a mirror coating, use mild hand soap and warm water, and gently pat them dry. Do not rub, wipe, scrub, or use Irlen® Lens Cleaner on mirror-coated lenses.
Referenced information and images are the property of the Irlen® Institute, the Irlen® Syndrome Foundation, and Irlen® International.