San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick is applying to wear a tinted visor for the upcoming season, on the advice of the team's medical staff.

The NFL outlawed tinted visors in 1998, but Kaepernick is seeking an exemption due to an undisclosed issue.

"I'm going through that process currently," Kaepernick said to ESPN's Nick Wagoner. "I'm not going to get too much into my medical but it was something that was recommended for me."

Kaepernick is currently battling through a bout of shoulder soreness, and Blaine Gabbert will start in the 49ers' preseason opener Sunday against the Houston Texans.