Tinted lenses in cluster
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Precision ophthalmic tinting as an add-on therapy in the treatment of cluster headache: a pilot study
IRAS ID
236941
Contact name
Benjamin R Wakerley
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
N/A, N/A
Duration of Study in the UK
2 years, 11 months, 30 days
Research summary
In this pilot study we aim to evaluate whether patients with cluster headache benefit from wearing precision tinted lenses (special coloured eyeglasses). Lens colour is determined with a colorimeter that assesses which colour best reduces discomfort. Precision tinted lenses have already been shown to be of benefit to some patients with migraine and dyslexia.
Cluster headache is a primary headache disorder characterized by severe, recurrent, unilateral headache associated with autonomic symptoms (e.g. lacrimation). Cluster headache is significantly rarer than migraine, only affecting 1-2 people in every 1000. A typical bout (or cluster) of cluster headaches usually lasts for 6-12 weeks, during which time attacks are often daily. Between bouts, patients are often symptom free for many weeks or months. Pain usually develops in the early hours and lasts 15 minutes to 3 hours, during which time patients are often incapacitated. Cluster headache is recognized as the most painful condition known to medical science and therefore has a significant impact on quality of life.
An individual with cluster headache has reported that he has on five occasions been able to abort the onset of a cluster by wearing precision tints. He wears the tints when he feels a warning of headache onset. He has not experienced a cluster since the tints were provided. We wish to see whether his experience is typical of other patients with cluster headache.
This is a proof of concept study. If a large proportion of patients report a benefit, a larger, carefully designed study will be proposed to further test the efficacy of tinted lenses.
REC name
London - Harrow Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
19/LO/0481
Date of REC Opinion
24 May 2019
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion