To the makers of BioBrite Visors:

As I go through my 10th winter with no SAD symptoms whatsoever, I am still distressed to see articles that describe light visors as unproven or ineffective—leaving readers to believe that only a light box will work.

Light boxes do work, of course, but in my case I needed to sit down with one for nearly two hours per day, something that most of us find nearly impossible. With my visor, however, I can go about my business while I wear it for 55 minutes.

I wonder how many people still struggling with SAD have tried to use a light box and given it up as too inconvenient, then been told that visors are not effective. I know there are plenty of us who successfully use visors and I don’t know where this prejudice may be coming from. Whatever the source, it is doing a great many people a huge disservice.

One other suggestion that might help your other customers: I often see published articles suggesting that typically SAD sufferers need about 20 minutes of full spectrum light per day and/or they need it at 50 percent power. Those same articles also report that using light is only partially effective for most people, so that others either take anti-depressants or just settle for partial relief.

My own experience has been that I get little or no relief unless I use the highest available setting and use it for 45 minutes to an hour each day. When I use it this way, I get absolute relief: I feel exactly as I feel during the summer. I have had no ill effects from this over 10 years and have not heard of any other permanent problems with high dosages. Perhaps some of the people who get partial results are not using enough light; you might want to suggest that people start low, but increase their exposure steadily until they get maximum results.

So thank you for continuing to make your BioBrite visor. For seven months out of the year it is truly a lifesaver.

Yours truly,

Lee Erhartic
Massachusetts