Varichrome® Relaxation Mask
The Varichrome® Relaxation Mask uniquely brings 430-700nm to your vision system.
The body and eyes employ many mechanisms to harvest photonic energy at different wavelengths.
The Relaxation Mask delivers visible wavelengths, with no missing wavelengths, from the Varichrome® Pro via a dual fiber optic cable. The video above is of an early version of the mask.
Who needs it?
People looking for the benefits of photobiomodulation for the eyes and surrounding area.
It gently stimulates and relaxes your vision system.
How does it work?
The Varichrome® Relaxation Mask provides the user with light controlled by the Varichrome® Pro. The mask reflects light to form a non-focusing field.
The visible light (no infrared or ultraviolet) exposes the eyes to wavelengths throughout the visible spectrum (430-700nm) a few wavelengths at a time.
Figure 2 The Varichrome® Mask delivers ALL visible wavelengths, a few wavelengths at a time, from 430 to 700nm. Watch as the wavelengths traverse the visible spectrum. The blue, red, and green peaks are from an RGB screen for comparison.
The aim is to stimulate and relax the eyes by observing real wavelengths instead of the 3 wavelengths of RGB screens and virtual reality goggles. The eyes relax with nothing to focus on. The smoothly varying wavelengths, with no missing wavelengths, help the eyes and brain do their ordinary housekeeping tasks. The non-focusing environment prompts relaxation after exposure to high-contrast multi-colored environments.
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For example, wavelengths from a real campfire is in the 570-620nm range. RGB can only simulate that range with combinations of green and red. These metameric colors may look the same as true wavelengths from a campfire but do not share the spectral energies used by cells in the skin and eyes.​ Watch Figure 2.
Analog controls let the user:
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Manually adjust the wavelength to personalize their experience.
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Bathe your eyes in your most relaxing wavelengths.
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Adjust the frequency of the light to experience kaleidoscopic-like shapes and patterns.
Technician or user controlled:
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7 preset ranges sweep portions of the spectrum.
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Hands-on operation or minimally attended.
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Can be used at the same time as other devices or therapies.
What are real wavelengths?
Sunshine and outdoors lighting includes all visible wavelengths and more. See the orange trace in the Figure 3.
We call the outdoors wavelengths real because sunlight delivers light with NO missing wavelengths.
Individual wavelengths also promote eyes and vision systems wellness.
Figure 3 Sunlight (Orange trace) spans the visible spectrum and more. RGB screens emit light in three peaks. With missing wavelengths in between.
Yellow vs. RGB Screens
RGB screens and VR goggles (virtual reality or AI) present the world using only 3 ranges of wavelengths. The magnitude of the red, green, and blue peaks vary to let you see millions of simulated colors.
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However, wavelengths in the RGB yellow-orange range are missing.​
RGB screens typically catch your attention via high contrast and sharp edges. Those factors may lead to fatigue especially when your focus distance doesn't change.
Figure 4 The Varichrome® Mask delivers ALL of the yellow-orange wavelengths that would come from the actual campfire, a few wavelengths at a time. Wavelengths are shown when the peak is at 580nm. The aim is to provide the energy needed for maintaining and improving wellness of the vision system. Humans have been looking at campfires for a long time.
For example, a screen image of a campfire feeds your eyes with almost NONE of the wavelengths in the real campfire (the dip between the red and green peaks.
The Varichrome® Mask Solution
The mask's low-contrast non-focusing field means that your eyes get to relax with nothing to look at. But keep your eyes open to let the wavelengths inside. Lower the intensity so that the light isn't too bright.
The following sections provide a few details about how the Relaxation Mask adjustments let you experience dynamically changing wavelengths and frequencies not available from any RGB screen or VR mask.
For example, the Varichrome® Mask delivers ALL of the yellow-orange wavelengths that would come from an actual campfire. The aim is to provide the energy and experience needed for maintaining and improving wellness of the vision system.
A brief experience (about 10-20 minutes) is usually enough to make the world appear brighter, more colorful, and sharper according to users.
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The Relaxation Mask brings the outdoors to you. We don't claim that the experience treats any disease or disorder.
Manual Wavelength Adjustment
The manual adjustment lets the user select their favorite wavelength that may be most relaxing.
Enjoy how your eyes adjust to the real wavelengths. The experience becomes smoother as you sweep back and forth a few times.
Change the rate that you adjust the wavelength to feel your vision system working. Adjust the frequency while on your favorite wavelength to see an ever-changing kaleidoscopic-like experience.
For example, the W2 setting in the Varichrome® Pro emits light in the yellow-orange campfire-like range with no missing wavelengths. A campfire seen on an RGB screen include few or none of the represented wavelengths. Of course, if you could go outdoors in the evening and build a campfire if you don't have a Varichrome Pro and Relaxation Mask.
Figure 5 The Varichrome® Mask delivers non-focusing light to the eyes from the Varichrome®Pro. The Manual Mode lets the user or technician select wavelengths that are fixed rather than vary as in settings W1 to W7.
The wavelengths from Relaxation Mask may be adjusted manually or selectively (#1 - #7 settings).
Linger a while on #2 with the rate (top knob mid-range) simulating a campfire. Users often remark that they find a particular color range the most relaxing.
Perhaps unsurprising, the light reflected inside the mask gently relaxes the facial muscles around the eyes. Users report that the Mask helps them relax after using AI controlled goggles that may de-couple the eye's focusing systems with depth perception.
Frequency Adjustment
The Varichrome® Relaxation Mask lets the user experience different frequencies from steady (0Hz) to about 1-500Hz.
The initial experience is individual but follows a common theme. The lowest frequencies prompt a feeling like watching a lamp as the room darkens with the inverse color becoming apparent.
Users describe increasing frequencies as prompting lightning bolt patterns that become more regular as the frequency increases. The patterns gyrate, change shape, and grow in a frequency-dependent manner. Some people revisit their favorite combinations during each session. The experiences have been reported to be deeply personal, enhance sleep, and to ward off bad dreams.
Figure 6 The Varichrome® Mask delivers non-focusing light to the eyes from the Varichrome®Pro. The Frequency Mode lets the user or technician select frequencies that are fix rather than vary as in settings W1 to W7. The user control may be more pleasant as stay away from potentially noxious frequencies, such as might involve vertigo.
Selection W7 sweeps the entire visible range (about 430nm to 690nm) for 5 minutes. That's enough time to shift the rate (R1-R7) to experience how your eyes adjust to shifting wavelengths. Add in frequency adjustments to have an experience that you may wish to repeat often.
Sweep the Visible Spectrum
The Varichrome® Pro selectively emits photons across the visible spectrum, a few wavelengths at a time.
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This video clip shows the output of the Varichrome® Pro directed into a spectrophotometer with an inset of the Relaxation Mask. The iPhone video camera does not faithfully reproduce the wavelengths, especially in the deep red end of the spectrum.
The clip ends with the Varichrome wavelength at 580nm which is a clear yellow. The RGB traces in the 570-610nm range have very little energy available relative to the Varichrome® output. This means that your see the inset mask on your RGB screen looks yellow but it does not include the actual yellow and yellow-orange wavelengths that may be important for eye health. (That's why spending time outdoors is important for eye and vision wellness.
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The Varichrome® Relaxation Mask lets the user bathe their eyes and vision system with selected up to all visible wavelengths. The low-contrast non-focusing environment lets the eyes relax while experiencing each wavelength aimed to promote wellness.
Figure 7 The Varichrome® Pro peak wavelength sweeps from about 430nm to 690nm and back to 580nm.
For comparison, the irradiances in microWatts/cm2/nm are shown for direct sunlight, RGB screen, and for the Varichrome Pro.
Note that the RGB screen has very low irradiance at 570-610nm range (yellow - orange).
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The Varichrome® Pro emits visible light with no missing wavelengths.
All visible wavelengths are important for vision system wellness.
The intensity of the light in the mask from the Varichrome® Pro is adjustable for user comfort.
Mechanisms
The Varichrome® Pro selectively emits photons across the visible spectrum, a few wavelengths at a time.
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There may be multiple mechanisms operating in parallel. Some work together while other compete.
The wavelengths needed by the body and eyes at any given time are unknown. Varying the wavelengths lets the body select what it needs to maintain or improve its ordinary normal functioning.
The eyes are steered and focused by muscles that can get tired or out of coordination like the rest of your body. The Relaxation Mask bathes the eyes and surrounding skin and muscles.
Figure 8 Serrage, H., Heiskanen, V., Palin, W.M. et al. Under the spotlight: mechanisms of photobiomodulation concentrating on blue and green light. Photochem Photobiol Sci 18, 1877–1909 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1039/c9pp00089e
The Mask provides reflected light energy it is not intended to diagnose or treat any disease or disorder.