coping with light sensitivity and visual processing

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I was wondering what tools or coping strategies people use to cope with light sensitivity or to improve visual processing difficulties, and if there are any brands or products that people recommend.

My current tools and coping strategies are just not enough and I've struggled for years to find things that work and I'm just getting discouraged. For visual processing I wear prescription prism glasses with a very light gray tint for Irlen Syndrome. I know I need a better and darker Irlen's tint, but I feel like that's only a small part of what I need.

For light sensitivity I always wear a baseball cap to cut out light coming from above. I have tried numerous wrap around, clip on, and fit over sunglasses, even one blocks out 99% of light. My biggest issue is that most of styles I've tried don't block in all the light coming in from the edges. There is one pair that I found that does block most of that light, but they are large and reflective and so it makes it odd for a person to have a conversation with me while indoors. I have also started to get horrific headaches from LED lighting in addition to it shutting my brain down. I've read that the solution to that is lenses that are tinted on the warm end of the light spectrum and wearing the big orange reflective sunglasses do help a lot with LED lighting but the problem is that my irlen syndrome tint needs to be blue gray. I am also tired of wearing hats all the time and of having to pick and choose which part of my visual needs to meet at a time and constantly putting on and taking off different types of glasses. What I really would like is one pair of glasses that I could put on that could just make my vision stuff better, though that's probably not possible.

TL;DR Bottom line is I need a new system of dealing with vision and light issues because what I have doesn't work enough and I don't know where to start. Any thoughts or suggestions would be helpful!

I have virtually identical issues with photophobia. I also have prism lenses, and I feel like a large part of my life is devoted to avoiding sunlight, LED, or fluorescent lighting.

Have you tried visual training therapy with a Behavioural Optometrist? They're similar to Occupational Therapists, but pertaining to vision. I was recommended to one by my OT, although I haven't gone because of Covid. I don't know how different they are compared to Irlen, but apparently they work with a lot of autistic patients to address strategies for daily survival with light sensitivity, or sensory processing disorders.

Thanks! I have never heard of a behavioral optometrist before. I'm going to look up if there are any in my area right now.

Yeah, I second the thanks for this info!
I have prism lenses and tinted for light sensitivity, but i don't have irlens. I wear a hat too most of the time.

Also, all my light bulbs at home can be dimmed and most change color. It's weird some days certain colors are better than others. Some colors I can't handle anytime but some help. I think some of the difference is whether I have a migraine or not? Not sure.

My daughter had a migraine today, and she read online that green light often helps. She adjusted her LED lightbulbs which have a prism wheel for online colour selection, and one shade of green made her migraine vanish instantly.

It's incredible what colour can do.

I don't really have any "normal" lightbulbs in my house either. People think I'm really weird when they visit. I have coloured lights, dimmers, faerie lights, and candles. I've taken to wearing a reading light around my neck at night when / if I want to read in the dark. It's like an adjustable band with little lights on either end, which can direct light onto my page instead of my eyes. The lights on it are also adjustable to many shades.

A Behavioural Optometrist might also be known as a Developmental Optometrist, or a NeuroOptometrist.

Good luck!

I've been looking at those neck lights on Amazon and debating as to whether they were worth the buy. I haven't seen one that has different colors though. Do you have a link?

I also, have a lot of fairy lights everywhere. We have em in the trees in the backyard too with some cute solar lanterns. It's nice at night. I found some fairy lights on Amazon that are fluorite and have different dimming and fading modes. I got my mom the amethyst ones for valentines. She loves em too. Thought I'd share because they've been such a big hit for everyone that's seen em and very calming. They aren't plastic but actual real rock which is super pretty. Here's the link

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07SQ3L1ZD/re ... 8JRF?psc=1

Maybe we should start a thread of cool, pretty, and calming lights we've found and share. And any pretty much anything that glows.