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:
We are honored to be featured in the March 2026 edition of Vision Monday, and we extend our sincere thanks to Sarah McGoldrick for highlighting ALTIUS® and the work behind our mission.
The feature captures a powerful conversation with our CEO, Dr. Alan Reichow, OD, MEd, FAAO, whose decades of research have helped shape the modern field of performance vision.
From early innovations that led to globally recognized sports vision technologies to the development of ALTIUS®, Dr. Reichow’s work has consistently focused on first and foremost optimizing the quality of the visual signal.
As he shared in the article:
“Vision, the guiding sense for most of human performance, is first and foremost dependent upon the quality of the visual signal leaving the eyes to the brain to better enable the most efficient and accurate visual information processing. It all begins with visual clarity and contrast.”
This philosophy continues to guide ALTIUS® today.
There is a growing understanding that managing light is essential not only for protecting the eye, but for optimizing how well the brain processes visual information. This is where ALTIUS® stands apart: delivering a solution that bridges clinical need and performance enhancement through advanced light filtration.
We are proud to contribute to a future where eye care professionals, athletes, and patients alike recognize that visual clarity and contrast are a fundamental driver of how we feel, function, and perform.
Read the article: ALTIUS VisionMonday | Pages 86 and 88
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)
As the days grow shorter and the air crisper, autumn brings a welcome relief from summer’s intensity. But while the temperatures cool, the risks to your eyes do not. In fact, the angle of the autumn sun can present a unique set of visual challenges; especially for athletes, outdoor enthusiasts, and anyone with light sensitivity or a history of migraines.
Unlike summer when the sun is high overhead, the autumn sun sits lower in the sky. This lower solar angle causes sunlight to beam more horizontally, directly into the eyes, especially during morning and late afternoon hours. This shift in angle:
The low autumn sun doesn’t just strain your eyes - it can compromise your performance. In sports like beach volleyball, soccer, football, and golf, glare directly from the sun or off of reflective surfaces (like sand traps, the beach or water) can reduce visual clarity and delay reaction time. Tracking fast-moving balls, judging distances, or even making safe plays becomes more difficult; especially during late afternoon games.
Engineered with proprietary patents-pending Light Architecture™ technology, ALTIUS® single-use Performance-Tinted Contact Lenses are uniquely suited for autumn’s visual demands. Each lens offers:
From students spending long hours on digital screens, to weekend pickleball players, to migraine sufferers seeking light sensitivity relief, ALTIUS® Lenses are designed to protect, comfort, and perform.
In fact, in an internal patient survey, users reported:
With ALTIUS®, you get more than just protection. You gain a competitive edge, all-day visual comfort, and scientifically engineered relief for light-sensitive eyes.
Ready to see autumn differently? Ask your eye care professional about ALTIUS® Performance-Tinted Soft Contact Lenses.
*Clinical data available upon request
Sports media channels lit up recently when Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert was seen sporting red-tinted contact lenses during training camp. “They’re like sunglasses,” Herbert told reporters. “I didn’t have to squint nearly as much… When I stepped into the huddle, I think some of the guys were a little surprised. Think they were like, ‘Oh, we’re gonna score.’”
What Herbert was wearing? Performance-Tinted Contact Lenses. Precision-engineered with patents-pending Light Architecture™ technology, these single-use lenses are rapidly becoming the go-to visual enhancement for elite athletes in dynamic, light-intensive environments. Developed by the same inventors as Nike MaxSight, these lenses are the Next Generation.
Herbert’s choice didn’t go unnoticed. Major sports outlets like NFL.com, ESPN, Yahoo! Sports, The Sporting News, Chargers.com and others all reported on his red-tinted lenses, spotlighting their visual impact on-field.
If you want to experience what Justin Herbert is seeing, reach out to us and we’ll help connect you with an eye care professional Find a provider
When you think of elite performance in water polo, one name stands out: Maggie Steffens. A three-time Olympic Gold Medalist and a force to be reckoned with in the pool, Steffens has dominated the sport with her precision, speed, and strategic execution. But what if we told you that vision plays a critical role in her success?
At the International Sports Vision Association’s (ISVA) Sports Vision Combine, ALTIUS® Contact Lenses showcased how its cutting-edge performance-tinted single-use contact lenses are revolutionizing vision for high-performance athletes like Maggie. ISVA brings together experts in optometry, sports science, and elite athletics to advance the understanding of how vision impacts performance. This event is where innovation meets expertise, making it the perfect stage for ALTIUS® to highlight its game-changing technology.
In high-stakes competition, Vision is everything. Whether it’s tracking a fast-moving ball, anticipating an opponent’s move, or making a split-second decision, athletes rely on visual clarity, contrast, and quickness—three areas where ALTIUS® excels.
As a top-tier athlete, Maggie Steffens understands that every advantage counts. In water polo, vision isn’t just about seeing—it’s about reading the game, staying ahead of opponents, and making game-changing plays. ALTIUS® allow her to stay focused and perform at her best without the discomfort of harsh lighting.
"I use it [ALTIUS® Contact Lenses] a lot in my training and in competition. It definitely elevates my game, I didn't know what I was missing before these lenses" Maggie shares.
Beyond her performance in the pool, Maggie also turns to ALTIUS® Grey-Green Lenses for relief from light-triggered migraines. With over 99% blue light blockage, these lenses help reduce eye strain, minimize visual noise, and create a soothing effect—allowing her to recover faster and maintain her focus both in and out of competition.
“The second way I use it [ALTIUS® Contact Lenses] is in my day-to-day life. I unfortunately get a lot of migraines, I get migraines with aura, I am really sensitive to light so specially the Grey Green lenses have really helped me on a health side of life and navigate those migraines and headaches where otherwise I would be experiencing them probably weekly” Maggie shares.
ALTIUS® Contact Lenses isn’t just for Olympians. Whether you’re a weekend warrior, a dedicated competitor, or someone looking to elevate your visual experience, ALTIUS® brings next-level vision performance to everyone.
Experience the ALTIUS® Contact Lenses Effect—because in the game of life, seeing better means performing better.
