Tinted lenses as a treatment in PD?

I wish to open the debate in Parkinson’s as to the possibility of developing a new form of treatment using carefully controlled filters and/or specialist lighting.

Although Parkinson’s is not my area of expertise, I’m an optician who has found that specialist band filters (optical lenses) can help ease the symptoms in people with Parkinson’s. So far I’ve helped around 20 people with Parkinson’s to date.

It’s important to clarify that the benefits I’ve seen are temporary in that they can persist after the removal of the spectacles with the optical lenses but only for a limited time.

Based on my experience, I have found that optical lenses can help with:

– Control of tremor
I’ve videos showing the spectacles can ease tremor and even switch it off temporarily.

– A reduction of dyskinesia
I’ve even seen stoppage in some people and have videos showing the cessation.

– Changes to taste and/or smell
I’ve seen restoration of taste/smell in some people even after years of sensory loss.

– Changes to gait and posture
Praxis modification or stoop reduction can also be seen in my videos.

– Temporal processing changes “mind fog” reduction
This is anecdotal but in my experience seems to be almost universal.

– Pain/discomfort reduction
I’ve also seen these changes in other related neurological conditions.

I believe that there is a possibility of assessing whether the results I’ve seen may be developed into new management techniques in PD, but it is imperative that properly conducted research is undertaken to investigate this further. I am happy to discuss my experience with interested parties to move this forward.

If any professionals or researchers are interested in finding out more, I’m happy to share my experience and skills. I’m able to offer help to develop critical assessment and prescribing skills. These techniques are extremely complex and require access to advanced instrumentation – but I may be able to lend instrumentation / do the assessments - if time permits.
Hi! Your post is very interesting. Can you briefly explain to a layman why you think the filter lenses have such profound effects? It sounds almost too good to be true. Kind regards, Butterfly
This has been looked into by others: if you google "tinted glasses for Parkinsons Disease U Tube" you can see various videos. I'm not sure if the video that I saw a year or two ago is there but it showed a near miraculous improvement in gait.
I have noticed that my vision is worse when i am driving and the sun keeps flashing though the trees, makes it difficult.. could a filter help with this do you think?. a reduction in tremor would be amazing, just think, I could pop in a filter and get though the meeting without looking like I am nervous all the time.
My husband who has PD, cannot stand the sun rays any longer and I have to close the curtains at home on a sunny day as he is greatly affected by the sun. Too, his eyesight has become very blurred. The findings re: tinted lenses are extraordinary! Wouldn't it be nice to have more research into it?

Natasha
I read an article that said Prism glasses might help also .My husbands eyes have worsened and is affected by different lights . .. But on darker days I usually leave a lamp on besides him it seems to keep him more motivated ..
Prism glasses can have beneficiai effects in a variety of conditions icluding PD - but these effects are very different to lenses with specialised filters.
Hi Bede,

Please help me if you can: my husband who has PD and PD dementia, developed a very blurred vision: we are waiting for an urgent hospital > for this and a very weak left eye: the app. is not coming yet. (2 weeks waiting so far)
The optician referred him to the GP to be sent to hospital.

In your experience, do you think it is PD causing the blurring? he is so depressed now!

Thanking you for any insight.

Natasha
Natasha - send me your telephone number and I will phone you to discuss
Bede, I do not think we can exchange tel nos in this Forum. Could you post your opinion?
Natasha
hi Bede
there was a video a few years ago that showed someone using blue lenses to control dyskinesia
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OrcO2oRv75I
I dont know whether this was genuine or a fake - are you aware of it?

I used to take sunglasses on and off during driving as the change seemed to help with perception - any comments?

regards
T
I have worn reactolight type lenses (addition to prescription lenses) for 25 plus years (instead of flip up sunglasses), so I am very interested to know more.

So far the only thing that has helped me (beyond the medication) to date, is the relaxation spine decompression exercises I do, which has relieved almost all the symptoms.

Regards
Andy
Sorry Natasha - can't give opinion without much more info. So I won't comment and would advise asking GP / optometrist that has seen patient.

Yes I have seen dyskinesia video - yes we see these sort of effects - but the difference is believe that we know how to prescribe accurately. This seems to make a big difference - but some people may be helped fortuitously using other methods
beaureflets - photochromic lenses are unlkikely to help significantly as they are essentially a brightness control only. We have found that we have to address 3D colour space anomalies - and tolerances are often very small. Saturated lenses are usually necessary.
by saturated lenses do you mean a change in colour saturation or is it something else?
To explain
We work in colour space + find positions where physical effects are greatest - positive and negative. We work out tolerances for a given patient. We then convolve for metamerism (simply put - we factor in lighting and work out the lens that will achieve optimum performance in the lighting condition chosen). We can then emulate the combination of lens / lighting and confirm efficacy. In general the positions found (which can be specified in the internationally accepted colour coordinates) are near the edge of colour space and they vary in tolerance levels in each patient. When we specify lenses at the edge of colour space there is a requirement for high degrees of saturation (and accuracy) in lenses. Unfortunately, virtually all standard optometric tints are rarely saturated to any degree and therfore specialist lenses are often required. The treatment is therefore specified individually - but as we can see the effects before prescribing, we know that the results will be good before prescribing. In other words we know intervention will work, by how much and on what symptoms.
I cannot stress too much the complexities of this subject - but I am excited at its potential use in PD - providing someone will do the research that is necessary. Our side of the science is extremely robust - the next stage is progression to clinical trials.
don't feel obliged to answer these questions

but if you will
are the edges of colour space ultra violet and infra red or something else?
is there any theory of why perception should counter the lack of dopamine or is this pre-theoretical.

i'm not sure if you'll get many pd scientists reading the forum. best of luck anyway.

i'm sure you will however have no shortage of guinea pigs.

its a very interesting thread.
Hi Bede,

I can understand a little upon light intensity, and the breadth and strength of its spectrum when refracted through the lens in the eye falling upon the retina; and the individual retina cells ability or inability to determine the full colour range (as in the aspects of colour blindness) and the UV infa alpha ranges, though I fail to understand your term colour space +, unless that refers to a value akin to Colour temperature in relation to White balance, + or- 5270 where the YRGB mix varies according to the light registering upon a sensor as in photography.

Are you saying that there is a specific eye map to the brain; where certain areas of the retina that correspond to certain pathways in the brain, and that by stimulating these various areas you can then in turn determine specific responses through the whole of the body ?

As I understand through my situation in Secondary Parkinson, the biggest aspect is the cell damage and or loss of cells producing the dopamine that facilitate smooth synapses (that has occurred, amassed over a period in time), followed by the knock on effects produced by subsequent muscle state in contraction and or deterioration that then perpetuate further imbalances and advance of the problems.

I have overcome the many symptoms you describe and possibly reversed the advance to some good effect by physically decompressing and maintaining the spine, and in turn hope that the level of brain cell deterioration will be accordingly reduced. Indeed, given the increase in my sense of smell plus the speed in which my finger and toe nails are now growing I feel quite optimistic; but any treatment that stimulates rapid renewal of brain cells is obviously going to be of great interest.
Colour space is a mathematical construct which is essentially a three dimensional map of all the colours that can be seen + a luminosty (brightness) measure.
It is the internationally recognised method of defining colour accurately and is approximately triangular in shape - with the visible spectrum being two sides to the triangle. The third side(line of purples)is a construct which is a "lack of green". Around this construct there is a X/Y graphical construction which allows us to specify colour accurately. Illumination can be factored in mathematically and resultant lens filter design can be determined.
Sorry this is complex! (And I have simplified it)
I understand the idea a bit more now, thank you. Certainly an interesting approach and I look forward to reading learning more as your work progresses Bede.