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
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.
Every day, millions silently endure a condition that’s often invisible to others but profoundly affects daily life. Photophobia, or light sensitivity, is a neurologically driven symptom that can cause debilitating discomfort. It frequently accompanies conditions such as migraine, traumatic brain injury (TBI), and post-concussion syndrome. For those affected, even everyday lighting can trigger significant pain and discomfort. Patents-pending ALTIUS® Performance-Tinted Single-Use Contact Lenses provide a non-medicinal solution to alleviate light sensitivity by filtering the harshest part of visible light and providing comfortable vision.
More than one billion people worldwide live with migraine, It is one of the leading causes of disability across the globe. Yet despite its scale, migraine and its debilitating symptoms, including light sensitivity (photophobia), often go unrecognized and misunderstood. This June, in honor of Migraine and Headache Awareness Month (MHAM), ALTIUS® proudly joins the call to “Make the Invisible Visible.” It’s time to elevate the voices of those affected by photophobia and bring their daily challenges and strength into the light.
Light sensitivity isn’t just a visual issue, it’s a quality-of-life issue. For those affected, everyday environments can become overwhelming. It can:
For many, the solution becomes avoidance, retreating from daily life because their eyes, and their nervous system, simply can’t tolerate the light.
For individuals affected by photophobia, ALTIUS® Grey-Green Performance-Tinted Contact Lenses provide a scientifically informed, non-medicinal solution for managing photophobia. In an internal patient survey, users reported:
Engineered with our proprietary Light Architecture™ technology, ALTIUS® lenses target the specific wavelengths that overstimulate intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells (ipRGCs)—key players in brightness regulation and light-triggered pain. By blocking 100% of UV and over 99% of blue light, ALTIUS® lenses reduce visual overstimulation while providing enhanced contrast for crisp, comfortable visual performance.
This June, during Migraine and Headache Awareness Month, we invite you to help bring light sensitivity and the millions affected by it into the light. ALTIUS® isn’t just a contact lens—it’s a tool for reclaiming comfort, restoring clarity, and elevating quality of life.
Whether you’re navigating migraines, recovering from a concussion, or living with chronic photophobia, know this: non-pharmaceutical relief from light sensitivity is possible.
Together, we’re a community. Together, we make it visible.
“I have noticed [ALTIUS] helps with light sensitivity so I can do things sometimes for longer and things I couldn’t enjoy doing on bright days. [ALTIUS] helps to improve my quality of life and to be able to do these things without having to avoid or close my eyes”
— Amy
"I don't wear them daily now, only as needed mostly for headaches or migraine attacks. 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, usually weekly (1-3 days)"
— Stephanie, Clinical Pharmacist
“I felt a migraine coming on, put in the contacts and was able to enjoy a family event. It felt like it stopped the migraine in its tracks.”
— Sarah, Student
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.
You might have just heard about ALTIUS® performance tinted contact lenses, but we’ve been in the making for a long time! Perhaps you’ve heard of a product called Nike MaxSight? MaxSight found success in athlete performance vision in the early 2000’s.
Remember seeing these lenses on your favorite athletes? Well, they’re back and better than ever! Let’s dive into the history of ALTIUS and how we went from MaxSight to where we are today.
It all started back in 1990 when ALTIUS Founder, CEO, and Chief Science Officer Dr. Alan Reichow, OD, MEd, FAAO, and colleagues at Pacific University College of Optometry began research on eye glare black. That’s the smear of black you’ll find athletes wear under or around their eyes. Their research showed Eye Glare Black can help to improve an athlete’s vision by reducing the sun’s glare reflected off skin. Turns out, there is an even better option.
Dr. Al and colleagues continued research on sports performance vision for another 8 years before embarking on creating performance tinted contact lenses, a potential solution for the ultimate in performance eyewear. Dr. Al, with his partners at Paragon Vision Sciences, determined the ideal tints to include in a contact lens which absorbed harmful UV, virtually all harsh Blue Light, and transmitted right Quantity (Visible Light Transmission) and Quality (Spectral Transmission Curves) for maximal visual comfort, clarity and quickness.
All that means is that they think they engineered the right tints for athletes to see the game better AND protect their eyes. Over the next several years, they started testing the tints on athletes at Pacific University in Forest Grove, Oregon.
In 2000, longtime Pacific University baseball coach, Greg Bradley, became the first coach to try the lenses that were called SportsSight. His immediate reaction…
“I’ve never seen the ball and seams that distinctly before. You can put those lenses on all my players.” And they did!
Over the next few years, the team continued to study the lenses and the experience of the Pacific University baseball team using them. This garnered some local media attention… which sparked the interest of a very large local company.
This began a partnership between the team at SportsSight, Nike, and Bausch + Lomb. SportsSight became MaxSight… a vision performance solution for anyone, even those not needing any vision correction.
In 2005, MaxSight was officially launched at the American Optometry Association Annual Convention in Dallas, Texas. MaxSight was a monthly replacement lens, which meant that it required proper cleaning, disinfection and storage between uses. It didn’t take long for eye care professionals to see the value in this product.
In fact, MaxSight made such a big splash that it was recognized by TIME magazine as “One of the Most Amazing Inventions of 2005.”
Interestingly, in spite of the “Hassle Factors” of Maxsight, over 60% of MaxSight users were those that did not require vision correction, and had never worn contact lenses before.
Despite great success, outstanding testimonies, and media coverage, MaxSight came to an early end. Due to a contact lens solution contamination issue at Bausch + Lomb, completely unrelated to MaxSight, Nike didn’t feel comfortable continuing the product. There was too much risk in the endeavor to continue.
But that didn’t stop the team that would become ALTIUS, which means “Higher” in Latin.
With continued demand for performance tinted contact lenses, and all the science behind it, the team knew this product could stay alive… and get better! So, the team embarked on a new mission to create a single-use disposable lens that would be far easier and safer for users.
After almost a decade of research and development, the new and improved ALTIUS brand was created, with a product that would provide all the amazing benefits of MaxSight with even more convenience, protection, and visual clarity. It was designed with a much improved lens material and with parameters that provided improved ease of handling and comfort when applied to the eye, especially important with all the first time contact lens users who had no vision correction need.
Today, we’re proud to continue the mission of providing the best in vision performance for athletes and anyone that wants to See Better, Feel Better, and Play Better!
The ALTIUS team continues to conduct research on the lenses, including how they can support relief from photosensitivity often associated with migraines, concussions, and traumatic brain injuries. With a growing focus by eye care practitioners on these conditions, ALTIUS is gaining use as a new and improved solution to light sensitivity symptoms.
Stay connected with us as we continue to evolve and try ALTIUS for yourself!
Check out our provider page to find an eye care professional close to you, or contact us for more information on how you can benefit from using ALTIUS.
