FL-41 tint for migraine: evidence and on-screen alternatives

Updated 2026-11-02

Quick answerFL-41 is a rose tint that filters blue-green light around 480 nm. In a 1991 study of 20 children with migraine, rose-tinted glasses cut attacks from 6.2 to 1.6 a month over four months, while a blue tint did not. Evidence in adults is limited, and a screen tint only filters the screen.

Evidence

  • Good, Taylor & Mortimer, Headache 1991: 20 children, rose vs density-matched blue tint, 4 months.
  • Hoggan et al. 2016: in chronic migraine, lenses with a 480 nm notch were not better than a 620 nm sham filter; both groups improved.
  • The Migraine Trust says there is not enough high-quality evidence to recommend tinted glasses.

Glasses vs. screen

  • Glasses filter all light reaching your eyes; Migraine Mode's Rose tint only changes web pages.
  • Rose is an option; the default is soft green, because red light worsened headache in Noseda 2016 and red-enriched white was worse in Fani 2026.

FAQ

Is FL-41 proven for adults?

Not strongly. The best-known result is a small 1991 study in children; adult evidence is limited.

Is Migraine Mode's rose tint the same as FL-41?

No. It's an FL-41-style color filter for the screen, not a lens with FL-41's exact transmission.

Sources

  • Good PA, Taylor RH, Mortimer MJ. The use of tinted glasses in childhood migraine. Headache, 1991. Link
  • Hoggan RN et al. Thin-film optical notch filter spectacle coatings for the treatment of migraine and photophobia. J Clin Neurosci, 2016. Link
  • The Migraine Trust. Migraine and light. Link

Not a medical device and not medical advice. Migraine Mode is a screen-comfort tool: it does not diagnose, treat, cure or prevent migraine or any other condition, and it does not replace a doctor. Its settings are based on studies of light, colour, flicker, patterns and motion; the extension itself has not been clinically tested. When to see a doctor.