Conor is an 18-year-old high school senior from La Jolla, Calif., who has had chronic migraine since February 2014. His mom, Alice, emailed to let us know that Conor has found significant relief by wearing his TheraSpecs “religiously.” When he heads to college this fall, Conor plans to study neuroscience, biomedical engineering, and public policy, with the hope of doing research that will provide relief to other people with migraine. In addition to his high academic achievement, Conor is a piano player, singer, and songwriter. He wrote the song “Blue” to speak to the disillusionment and hope of chronic migraine and has included it in some of his college applications. The song is so beautiful, we just had to share it with you.

Blue from Conor Hayes on Vimeo.

Here are Alice’s responses to our Behind the Lens questions:

How do you spend your days?

In addition to school and playing the piano, Conor is a high school senior at The Bishops’s School in La Jolla. He spends his time playing the piano, studying, hanging out with friends, working out and swimming too!

What prompted you to try TheraSpecs?

After online research, we decided to try them because of extreme light sensitivity with migraine.

How does light impact your day-to-day life?

Fluorescent lights, strobes (bicycles use them at night which is a real issue lately), flickering from sunlight through trees while driving and computer screen time are all especially challenging and can trigger a migraine.

Which style of TheraSpecs do you own? Why did you select these?

Wrap around, both indoor and outdoor. The Wrap around is best as it eliminates glare from the sides.

How do TheraSpecs help you?

They help a lot. In class, TheraSpecs help to tolerate the fluorescent fixtures, help while on computer for long periods of time, help while driving, and help anytime outside when the sun is bright and intense.

How would you describe TheraSpecs to a friend?

A great relief… You will just say “ahhhh” when they are put on.

Would you like to share any other tips for finding relief?

Diet restrictions have been extremely helpful. We recommend the book Heal your headache, by David Buchholz, MD.