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It is often the case that one person will benefit from overlays of one colour, and lenses of another colour. If lenses are to be worn, it is important that a separate professional assessment is carried out. There are two widespread approaches to testing for coloured lenses. One is carried out by a specialist optometrist using the "Intuitive colorimeter", a piece of equipment designed by Professor Arnold Wilkins in conjunction with the Medical Research Council and marketed by Cerium Visual Technologies, which will identify precisely the chromaticity of the illumination of a piece of text most effective in increasing reading speed, giving a measurement that is then used in prescribing tinted lenses. A list of recommended optometrists who test for coloured lenses with the Intuitive Colorimeter can be found here The precise routine will vary from one optometrist to another but the basic eye test includes refraction (tests of lens focus), acuity (ability to see small objects), tests of the health of the eyes, and basic tests of ocular motor function (how well the eye muscles work together). There are other tests that are not always included in the examination but are generally thought to be particularly important for children with reading difficulties. You can ask an optometrist whether they would do these tests before you book an appointment: The examiner should listen to the client’s description of the distortions, and use this description when trying to decide whether a particular colour reduces the distortions. Yes. Although some people seem to "grow out" of the condition, many do not. The distortions may be less pronounced when reading becomes fluent and text ceases to be a meaningless collection of confusing shapes. Sadly, visual perceptual distortion is often not recognised in children and many sufferers enter adulthood without ever having been treated. 32. What do I do to find out if colour might help? The term Meares-lrlen syndrome is sometimes used to refer to the collection of symptoms and signs of visual fatigue when reading that are reduced when colour is used. Other terms are Irlen syndrome or Scotopic Sensitivity Syndrome (SSS)1. (The syndrome is not yet widely recognised by the medical and scientific communities, and there is no universal agreement on its name.) The symptoms of visual perceptual distortion in children with reading difficulty were first described by Olive Meares2, but have been listed by Helen Irlen, as follows.
Coloured overlays reduce the perceptual distortions of text that children sometimes describe. They enable some children to read text more fluently and with less discomfort and fewer headaches. It is important to assess the effects of a wide range of colours because individuals do not all benefit from the same colour. 3. What proportion of children can benefit? Beneficial colours should be compared side by side. If the choice remains unreliable, then one of the chosen colours should be given a trial for a period of a week, followed by one of the other colours. Alternatively, the Wilkins Rate of Reading Test® can be used, see 32. 28. Do children change their preferred colour?
Choosing the Right Colored Overlays
onset of symptoms varies and may depend on lighting conditions, style of text and quality of paper). 10. What are the signs of Meares-Irlen syndrome? If you filter out the problem wavelength with someone who has this sensitivity the text becomes clearer, and headaches and migraines can be reduced. The term Meares–Irlen syndrome is sometimes used to refer to the collection of symptoms and signs of visual fatigue when reading that are reduced when colour is used. Other terms are Irlen syndrome or Scotopic Sensitivity Syndrome (SSS). (The syndrome is not yet widely recognised by the medical and scientific communities, and there is no universal agreement on its name.) The symptoms of visual perceptual distortion in children with reading difficulty were first described by Olive Meares, but have been listed by Helen Irlen, as follows. 9. What are the symptoms of Meares-Irlen Syndrome? When you wear glasses everything you see is coloured, but you are often unaware of the coloration because you adapt to it and make allowances for it. (Example, the colour of light from a normal household light bulb is very yellow in comparison to daylight, but you are never aware of this.) When you use an overlay only part of what you see is coloured and the eyes are adapted to white light. The way that the brain processes what you see in the two circumstances is very different. Wilkins, A.J. (1994) Overlays for classroom and optometric use. Ophthalmic and Physiological Optics, 14, 97-99. 7 Wilkins, A., Jeanes, R., Pumfrey, P.D., Laskier, M. (1996). Rate of reading test: its reliability, and its validity in the assessment of the effects of coloured overlays. Ophthalmic and Physiological Optics, 16, 491-497.
Wilkins, A.J., Evans, B.J.W., Brown, J.A., Busby, A.E., Wingfield, A.E., Jeanes, R.J. and Bald, J. (1994). Double-masked placebo-controlled trial of precision spectral filters in children who use coloured overlays. Ophthalmic and Physiological Optics, 14(4), 365-370. If you still have important questions or need specific information you can telephone Avril Shelmerdine on 01206 372381 Many traits run in families and visual perceptual distortions are no exception. The genetic contribution is the subject of investigation.
How Colored Overlays Help Visual Stress and Irlen Syndrome
The children who benefit may be good readers, but more often they have difficulty reading. They usually suffer visual discomfort when reading and, when questioned, will often report perceptual distortions of the text. These distortions usually include apparent movement or blurring of the letters and words. Often there is a family history of migraine. Dyslexia assessor Georgina Smith says that coloured overlays can help people with visual stress as well as dyslexia. When Smith assessed some students, who were experimenting with coloured overlay rulers, the students said that they wanted to try their favourite colours at first. Smith thought that it was best for the student to try every coloured overlay ruler available to them for 10 – 15 minutes before deciding which colour worked best for them. Our top 3 dyslexia glasses & coloured overlays recommendations The following book provides a review of research in this area and a theoretical explanation for the effects of colour : Wilkins, A.J. Visual Stress, University Press, 1995. Oxford ISBN 0 19 8521 74 X
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