Dealing With Headaches

This isn’t a reflection on the fine people at Prada — just a joke, folks (albeit a very small one).

But finding the right sunglasses is often no joke when you are migraine or headache prone. If you don’t have the right ones, then you will be more likely to trigger a migraine or headache than if you wore ones better suited for your eyes. Don’t just wear any old pair or sunglasses or any sunglasses that look cool. You need to be as selective about your sunglasses as you are about your shoes (if you care about your shoes fitting comfortably).

Who Turned Out The Lights?

Some sunglasses are just too dark for you to safely get around. This puts more strain on your eyes that is necessary. Squinting or trying to make out dim shapes can also make you tense for a long period of time, which leads to headaches.

However, really dark sunglasses are superb when you have a migraine and can lay down for a while. They should only be worn in those situations — not for driving, working, walking the dog or shopping for more sunglasses.

Distortion

All sunglasses or sport goggles are going to have some distortion in them. They make your eye focus differently than how they are used to focusing. This will give you a whopper of a headache. By trying several on, you can usually find a pair that makes your eyes focus more naturally. The sunglasses industry is aware of this problem and markets a lot of sunglasses now as “distortion-free”. You usually have to try them to see if they live up to their claims.

Glare

Since I wear glasses, I have to have large wrap-around sunglasses that fits over my regular eyeglasses completely. I suppose I could get prescription sunglasses, but I don’t make enough money for that. Also, they probably would not help me.

I have tried those clip-on things that hook over your regular glasses. My Dad loves them. But, for me, they’re crap. The reason is that sun glare pokes through the top of the sunglasses. This is enough to cause me a migraine.

Put your current sunglasses on and see if any light peeks over the top or around the sides. This can potentially trigger migraines or headaches. You either need to always wear a wide-brimmed hat with these sunglasses — or get a new pair.

Those prone to headaches or migraines need to get polarized sunglasses to cut down on glare.

You should also get sunglasses that are coated to block out the sun’s UVA and/or UVB rays. Normal dark sunglasses let these rays in, which means your pupils will eventually dilate as if they were under bright light and the pain will soon set in.

Although it’s great to get sunglasses as gifts, the odds are that you’ll have to wind up regifting them as they won’t be right for your eyes. It’s better to risk insulting the gift-giver rather than be stuck with a fashion accessory that can trigger migraines or severe headaches.

Hope this helps.