By Rachel C. Ayars
In 2005, TIME Magazine recognized a groundbreaking innovation in vision technology: Nike MaxSight tinted contact lenses. Developed through a collaboration between Nike, Bausch + Lomb, and Dr. Alan Reichow's team, these lenses revolutionized sports vision. However, their 30-day replacement format limited their potential, particularly for athletes who needed enhanced vision only during specific conditions.
The technology evolved into ALTIUS® (Latin for "Higher"), making a crucial advancement: transitioning to a single-use daily disposable format. The proprietary Light Architecture™ technology delivers impressive specifications:
Three-time Olympic Gold Medalist Maggie Steffens knows firsthand the challenges of maintaining peak visual performance in demanding conditions. As a member of USA Women's Water Polo, she trains outdoors for nearly six hours daily, battling both intense sunlight and chlorine.
"Growing up in California & playing aquatic sports my whole life, I am constantly outside in the sun," Steffens explains. "Whether it was from the glare of the sun, trying to track a ball clearer, or simply playing the game with fuzzy eyes from the chlorine; the experience before Altius made training quite difficult and uncomfortable."
The impact of ALTIUS® on her game was immediate. "The ALTIUS® lenses are so moist & comfortable, they felt so natural from the very start," she shares. "It felt like I was putting on sunglasses, which was new at first, but now it's like they are a part of my body."
Beyond performance enhancement, Steffens discovered another benefit: migraine relief. "I get migraines and get them often due to sun exposure. I always have the green/grey lenses in the car or in my bag in case I feel a migraine coming on. These have been a huge help for me!"
Building on such success stories, Performance Vision Technologies Inc. is launching the ALTIUS® Athlete Network (AAN) in January 2025. This exclusive community elevates the brand's ambassador program, bringing together elite athletes who understand the importance of gaining every competitive advantage.
The network offers members premium product packages, early access to innovations, and opportunities to shape the future of athletic vision enhancement. Most importantly, AAN members become voices of transformation in athletics, sharing how enhanced vision technology can elevate performance and change lives.
What began as a sports innovation revealed an unexpected medical application. Recent research has identified that photophobia, commonly associated with migraines, concussions, and traumatic brain injuries, manifests in four specific ways:
The science behind ALTIUS®'s effectiveness lies in its interaction with intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells (IPRGCs). These specialized cells, which regulate circadian rhythm and pupillary light reflex, are particularly sensitive to blue light wavelengths around 480 nm. By effectively blocking all violet and most blue light, ALTIUS® lenses provide targeted relief that goes beyond traditional tinted eyewear.
Clinical evidence has been remarkable. In recent studies of migraine patients:
The results are even more striking in pilot surveys:
But numbers tell only part of the story. "Anyone with severe migraines triggered by light could go to no migraines just by wearing contacts!" reports Brian, a software engineer. Eric, a personal fitness trainer dealing with visual snow syndrome, shares, "I put on the Grey-Green lenses and immediately I feel so much better... light translates to pain for me. When I put those lenses on, it really helps me to take that light and filter it in a way that calms things."
For Stephanie, a clinical pharmacist, ALTIUS® provides peace of mind: "I feel a sense of comfort if I should get a headache or migraine that I have an effective, non-medication means to bringing relief." David describes it poetically: "It turns the volume down, brightness, tone and color all reduced to comfortable levels. The weight gets lifted out of my brain. I feel lighter."
Now, ALTIUS® technology is being investigated for what could be its most significant application yet. Performance Vision Technologies Inc. (PVTI) has announced a groundbreaking collaboration with the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) School of Optometry, studying a novel, wavelength-based intervention for controlling childhood myopia—a condition predicted to affect 40% of the global population by 2050.
"We are honored and excited to collaborate with such an internationally renowned research university for this important and potentially impactful project," says Dr. Alan W. Reichow, CEO of Performance Vision Technologies Inc. "Myopia is obviously a significant children's health issue in which our company, industry and eyecare professionals can partner to effectively address this expanding problem."
From enhancing athletic performance to transforming lives affected by photophobia and potentially revolutionizing myopia control, ALTIUS® stands as a testament to how innovation in one field can lead to unexpected breakthroughs in others. As research continues, this technology's journey from sports fields to medical breakthrough may only be beginning.
From Nike MaxSight to ALTIUS®: The Evolution of Performance Vision
For more information about ALTIUS® performance-tinted contact lenses and current research, visit altiusvision.com
