VANTA masks are versatile face masks to reduce the long term effects of sun damage on the eyes.
Photosensitivity effects everyone with eyes. Ocular damage, low pigmented eyes (blue eyes or green eyes) and children all experience photosensitivity.
Vanta is named after “the blackest black”, a paint manufactured to be able to absorb most of the light hitting a surface without allowing reflections (below).
Photosensitivity refers to various symptoms, diseases, and conditions (photodermatoses) caused or exacerbated by exposure to sunlight.
Worbla
Worbla is a versatile thermoplastic I used to mold the mask to the user’s face. Worbla’s low melting point allowed for immediate fitting.
User tests
10
Prototypes
6
After a week, I had alot of feedback.
Prototypes without straps didn’t fit well to faces with flat noses or round cheeks.
I designed 2 prototypes using black PLA filament and a heat gun. With the low melting point of PLA I was able to mold the prototypes perfectly to the users faces. For those with minimal facial contours, I designed a pair with straps called the “Butterfly”. Also viable for sports.
Britta Strevig is an insightful illustrator with albinism. Her vision is constantly affected by her photosensitivity.
I could not have had a better user test for Vanta.
