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FL-41™

The BPI® FL-41™ Tint is rusty-rose in color and is usually tinted to a darkness of 50%. It has been found useful to reduce eyestrain, tension headaches and migraine. It is thought that indoor lighting contains flickering blue light. This filter blocks about 80% of that component.

 

Testimonial letter received 17 March 2006.
(Note: Emphasis is as we received it.)

I am a patient of Dr. Jemshed Kahn, and earlier in 2006 I got FL-41 lenses. After learning this, Dr. Kahn asked that I provide FL-41 information that others could use. Dr. Kahn has been treating me with Botox injections since May 1996. Besides Blephoraspasm, I also have Severe Dry Eye Syndrome and Photophobia. I have needed to wear dark-tinted lenses even indoors for years, and extremely-dark wrap eyeglasses when outdoors or in an auto. I offer the following information on FL-41 lenses:

 · I learned about the FL-41 lenses from the BEBRF Newsletter.

· Dr. Jill Smith, Hunkeler Eye Institute, is my eye doctor, and she helped me locate where I could get the lenses in the KC area.    

· Dr. Smith contacted Sutherlin Optical, a lab located at 1941 Central in downtown KC, MO. She talked to Mike, but he is not the FL-41 contact person.

Sutherlin’s phone numbers are: 816/421-0369 or 800/999-8193; fax numbers are: 816/471-4090 or 800/999-0705. Sutherlin’s P.O. Box is 419668, and zip is 64141, Their business hours are 8:15 - 5:00 Monday through Fridays; closed on Saturdays. Free parking is available across the street.

Dr. Smith referred me to “Tim” at Sutherlin’s, He informed me that FL-41 is a special order dye that is applied to lenses. The FL-41 dye is manufactured by BPI.

· BPI stands for Brain Power, Inc., and it is located in Florida, BPI’s 800 number is: 800/327-2250.

· Tim had instructed me to ask to speak with “J.R.” at BPI.

When I called BPI and spoke with “J. R.,” he asked me why I needed the FL-41 dye. He said it is used for other conditions besides Blephoraspasm, such as migraine headaches.

When I told J. R. at BPI that I suffer from Blephoraspasm, Severe Dry Eye Syndrome, and Photophobia he told me I would benefit from the dye, and it could even cause my conditions to disappear. I did not pursue proof of such claims; I just wanted some relief.

J. R. said the dye is applied at a 50% strength and cost $25.00. He also said it does not interfere with other lens additives such as UV protection, scratch resistance, etc.

The dye must be prescribed by your eye doctor, and ordered by whoever will be applying the dye (in my case, Sutherlin’s). From my understanding the dye could be ordered and applied by another supplier such as ..............., but when I called them they described a rather involved and prolonged process so I chose not to pursue my lenses or dye through them.

Sutherlin’s took care of contacting Dr. Jill Smith at Hunkeler and getting the FL-41 dye appended to my prescription, which happened to be a new prescription.

· Tim at Sutherlin’s ordered the dye from BPI, and the $25 charge was added to my cost for new lenses and new frames.

·  I got my new eyeglasses from Sutherlin’s with the FL-41 dye applied within a few days.

·  THEY ARE WONDERFUL! I noticed an immediate improvement in my ability to use my eyes with much less strain and pain.

·  The FL-41 dye tints lenses a soft red, and the dye allows others to see your eyes (which my formerly dark-tinted lenses did not). This ability to make eye contact has been a great improvement for my interpersonal communications.

·       (Personal information has been removed)

Extract from Neuro-Ophthalmology
Article written by Marianne Doran. November/December 2005

Rose-colored sunglasses. Preliminary research at the University of Utah suggests that specially tinted lens may help some people with photophobia. Anecdotally, many photophobic patients prefer an FL-41 tint on their sunglasses instead of green or yellow. The FL-41 tint, which has a pinkish look to it, is a mixture of colors that blocks the blue-green wavelengths.

"We randomized patients with blepharospasm to wearing FL-41 sunglasses for two weeks and then to wearing plain sunglasses for two weeks," said Dr. Katz. "The patients filled out questionnaires at the end of each period. We found that patients with blepharospasm definitely preferred wearing lenses with the FL-41 tint to wearing conventional sunglasses. So there does seem to be some therapeutic benefit."

In a new study, the researchers have used electromyography to measure blink frequency, duration and amplitude in blepharospasm patients while they read for five minutes at a time with regular eyeglasses, glasses with a light gray tint or glasses with an FL-41 tint. The results are still being analyzed, but Dr. Katz said they appear to provide more objective evidence that FL-41 does reduce blepharospasm.

"FL-41 lenses are non-invasive, they have no side effects and they're not expensive," Dr. Katz added. "So it's a cheap, easy way to improve the lives of these patients, who in some cases are very disabled by their disease."

Be sure glasses block blue-green. FL-41 lenses are available in optical shops, but Dr. Digre cautioned that some so-called FL-41 lenses are not the real thing. "You really have to know whether the lenses are real or not." she said. "Some lenses can look like FL-41, but they don't act like it. We have done spectral analysis of our lenses to make sure they are blocking the right light".

BPI® is the world’s largest manufacturer of optical tints that are used by opticians, optometrists and ophthalmologists in tinting, dying, or otherwise coloring clear plastic – especially optical sunglass lenses. BPI® also produces lines of therapeutic tints providing UV protection and aiding with problems such as blepharospasms, headaches, retinitis pigmentosa, color blindness, corneal dystrophys, macular degeneration, retinal damage and dyslexia. BPI® has specialty tints such as EVA for viewing computer monitors and Solar Dyes for the finest sunglasses. BPI® also manufactures laboratory equipment such as tinting instruments, photometers, ultrasonic cleaners, edgers (for edging lenses), gradient lensors (for producing gradation of tint on lenses) and ovens for heat and chemical tempering of glass lenses for safety glasses and eyewear. BPI® supports all optical lens and sunglass manufacturers and optical laboratories.

Brain Power Inc, 4470 SW 74 Avenue, Miami Florida, 33155 • Telephone: 305-264-4465 • Toll Free: 1-800-225-5274
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