When we think about vision, most people assume that “perfect” means 20/20.
But step into the real world, on the field, on the water, or under bright lights and that definition quickly falls short. Because vision isn’t just about clarity. It’s about how efficiently your brain processes light, contrast, movement, and glare.
And that’s where things break down.
Athletes miss critical details in motion. Patients with light sensitivity experience discomfort or even migraines. Everyday activities become more challenging under harsh or changing lighting conditions.
The reality is simple:
Everything starts with what you're seeing versus what you think you’re seeing.
Dr. Alan Reichow
For decades, contact lenses have served one purpose: vision correction.
ALTIUS® changes that paradigm.
You can benefit from ALTIUS® even if you don’t use a vision correction. In fact, more than 75% of ALTIUS® Lenses are prescribed in plano (= zero power / non-correcting) a clear signal that patients and athletes are seeking something more:
✔ Better visual performance
✔ Greater comfort in bright conditions
✔ Relief from light sensitivity
Even individuals with “perfect” vision still struggle with:
These aren’t vision correction problems. They’re light management problems.
ALTIUS® confronts these challenges at the source: light itself. Using proprietary Light Architecture™ Technology, ALTIUS® lenses are engineered to:
The result?
A more efficient visual system that allows you to:
See Better. Feel Better. Perform Better.
Sources:
Unlike ordinary tinted spectacle lenses or adaptive photochromic eyewear, the Light Architecture™ of ALTIUS® is precision-engineered. With over 25 years of research and development, these innovative filters not only control the brightness through their total tint immersion, but also through their targeted biological and neurological impact. ALTIUS® Lenses are designed to manage the quality and quantity of light reaching the eye, reducing “visual noise” caused by chromatic aberration and blue light overstimulation, while enhancing clarity, contrast, and target tracking.
In other words: ALTIUS® performance-tinted single-use soft contact lenses don’t just block glare, it builds a better visual environment for your brain to perform.
Both ALTIUS® tints, Amber and Grey-Green, utilize FDA-cleared Light Architecture™, offering 100% UV absorption and blocking over 99% of blue light (<500 nm) through full 360° total tint immersion. This uniform and complete coverage eliminates peripheral light leakage, surface reflections, and distortion common with spectacles, ensuring uncompromised performance and protection across the entire visual field.
What distinguishes ALTIUS® Amber is its calibration for 50% visible light transmission (VLT), a balance that reduces excessive light without over-dimming the visual field.
This makes it ideal for dynamic, reactive sports like baseball, tennis, and football, where rapid target tracking and contrast recognition are essential. By reducing chromatic aberration by 53%, Amber minimizes “visual noise,” allowing for sharper image formation and faster visual processing.
ALTIUS® Grey-Green’s 38% visible light transmission (VLT) makes it ideally suited for outdoor environments with intense glare, such as on water, turf, or pavement. Athletes and active individuals benefit from enhanced visual comfort, improved contrast, and reduced visual fatigue in bright, high-glare settings.
Traditional spectacle tints such as FL-41 only partially block blue light and allow light to reach the eyes from around or behind the spectacle frame. On the other hand, ALTIUS® Grey-Green and Amber soft contact lenses block over 99% of blue light (<500 nm) and allow no light to enter the eye other than through the lenses.
Clinical surveys show that when worn during migraine attacks, ALTIUS® Grey-Green users report:
Reports from users who suffer from photophobia due to traumatic brain injury, concussion, and other conditions suggest similar favorable results when using either tint.
Both ALTIUS® Grey-Green and Amber spectral transmission profiles are meticulously tuned to the human visual system.
As shown in the above Figure ALTIUS® filters nearly all violet and blue wavelengths, including virtually all energy related to iPRGC Sensitivity, while selectively transmitting narrow-band green light (~550 nm). Burstein’s research identifies this wavelength as uniquely beneficial, it reduces cortical hyperexcitability and evokes calming emotional responses during migraine episodes.
By modulating these neural responses, ALTIUS® Light Architecture™ minimizes pain activation while supporting balanced visual and emotional perception, truly architecting light for neurological wellness.
Traditional flat or spectacle lenses leave the eye exposed to stray peripheral light, a limitation overcome through the evolutionary progression of curved, high-wrap designs pioneered by industry leaders from Nike MaxSight™ to today’s ALTIUS® Light Architecture™ system.
With complete corneal coverage, ALTIUS® achieves the ultimate in light management, merging optical precision with clinical protection, from performance vision to migraine management, post-concussion care and TBI recovery.
With availability in both corrective and non-corrective (Plano) powers, ALTIUS® is truly for EVERYONE.
ALTIUS® Light Architecture™ redefines how eye care practitioners and patients address photosensitivity.
Related information:
As demonstrated in Burstein et al.’s seminal Neurobiology of Photophobia (J Neuro-Ophthalmol, 2019), photophobia is not merely discomfort, it’s a neurological condition involving overstimulation of intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells (ipRGCs). These specialized retinal cells connect visual input to pain-processing centers in the thalamus, amplifying headache pain and emotional distress.
Use of ALTIUS® Single-Use Performance-Tinted Contact Lenses During Water Activities(2024)
Use of Performance-Tinted Contact Lenses in Patients with Photosensitivity (2024)
At Performance Vision Technologies, Inc, (PVTI), developers of ALTIUS®, we believe that better vision doesn’t just change how you see, it transforms how you live. Whether you're an elite athlete, someone recovering from a concussion, navigating life with migraine-related light sensitivity, or simply trying to enjoy the outdoors without discomfort, ALTIUS® Performance-Tinted Single-Use Soft Contact Lenses are designed to support your lifestyle.
With over 2 decades of supportive clinical research, and engineered with FDA-cleared, patents-pending Light Architecture™ technology, ALTIUS® delivers a personalized approach to vision care, providing powerful light filtration, enhanced contrast, and a new level of clarity in bright, high-glare environments. It’s more than just vision correction, it’s a mindset shift. From high-performance sports to everyday relief, ALTIUS® is for everyone.
Here’s how real wearers describe their experiences. Each story is a testament to the life-changing potential of ALTIUS®.
“I didn’t know what I was missing before these lenses.”
Maggie Steffens – 3x Olympic Gold Medalist, Water Polo
Even at the top of her game, Maggie found a new level of visual performance with ALTIUS®. The clarity, contrast, and visual comfort of our tints are not just for the photosensitive, they’re for anyone looking to elevate their experience in bright or dynamic environments.
What Can ALTIUS® Do for Athletes? Whether you’re an elite competitor or an active enthusiast, ALTIUS® lenses are engineered to elevate your vision and your performance. With two precision-tinted options, we help athletes at every level unlock sharper contrast, reduced glare, and a new standard of visual clarity.
"After a debilitating injury I suffered on my bike, I struggled with extreme light sensitivity and the only relief to light sensitivity was to stay in a dark room. ALTIUS lenses changed everything. Once I was introduced to ALTIUS lenses I could get out of the dark room without fear of headaches. These lenses are a game-changer, they gave me the ability to recover from my concussion. After 3 weeks I was able to get back out into sunlight with no pain. I still wear them when training and racing my triathlons. A bonus that I found through this experience is that they are also great for my golf game. I am forever grateful to ALTIUS.”
Michael Hull – Ironman Triathlete, Post-Concussion Recovery
Recovering from a concussion often means avoiding light entirely. For Michael, that isolation ended with ALTIUS®. The lenses blocked the triggering wavelengths and allowed him to gradually reintroduce light exposure, ultimately restoring his ability to train, race, and even golf.
What Can ALTIUS® Do for post-concussion recovery?
"For the first time in years, I can work on my laptop without a migraine kicking in. I’m not dizzy, I’m not foggy, I can stay outside and feel… normal."
"With ALTIUS®, I don’t have to choose between seeing clearly and feeling okay."
"I feel like it stopped the migraine in its tracks."
— Sarah (F)
For Sarah, Visual Snow Syndrome wasn’t just visual “static.” It came with a surge of overlapping symptoms, including brain fog, dizziness, double vision, and migraines. Bright screens, classroom lights, and white headlights all pushed her over the edge.
But with ALTIUS®, the chaos began to fade.
“The light is not as strong of a trigger when I’m outside or working on the computer,” she explains. “I can be outside/on screen for hours vs. up to an hour.”
She alternates between ALTIUS® Amber Lenses indoors and ALTIUS® Grey-Green Lenses outdoors, each restoring balance to parts of her day that once overwhelmed her. She can now train dogs in the sun, finish online coursework, and tolerate extended screen time without symptoms building. Her migraine frequency has dropped. The fog has lifted.
One turning point came during a family gathering. “Easter with the family was a big one,” Sarah recalls. “I felt a migraine coming on, put in the contacts and was able to function and enjoy the family event. I feel like it stopped the migraine in its tracks.”
She encourages others with light sensitivity to give ALTIUS® a try:
“If you have migraines, try them. It won’t hurt to find out if they can make a big difference for you.”
What Can ALTIUS® Do for Patients with Visual Snow and Migraine?
Find your relief. Find a provider
With both Amber and Grey-Green tints available, ALTIUS® Lenses are engineered to meet the unique demands of your environment, your activities, and your visual challenges. Whether you’re chasing a championship, managing migraine sensitivity, or simply seeking improved clarity and comfort on bright days, ALTIUS® addresses how you live and perform.
And it’s not just for those who require vision correction. In fact, more than 70% of all ALTIUS® lenses sold are Plano (zero power), showing that even individuals who have never worn a vision correction or contact lensesy are choosing ALTIUS® for its unmatched protection, comfort and performance benefits.
ALTIUS® for Everyone.
