Explore an informative guide on Irlen Syndrome, shedding light on its symptoms, causes, and intervention strategies, aiming to support learning and well-being.
Main, P (2022, December 02). Irlen Syndrome: A teacher's guide. Retrieved from https://www.structural-learning.com/post/irlen-syndrome
Some people face difficulty in reading words from the screen or a paper, but they do not necessarily have a learning disability. Some individuals' ability to read is affected due to problems with visual processing or light sensitivity.
Irlen Syndrome is a condition (also referred to as Scotopic Sensitivity Syndrome or Meares-Irlen Syndrome) caused by visual stress in which the problem is not with seeing the written letters on a paper, but with brain interpretations of the visual information.
People may get affected by Irlen Syndrome at any age. It is both demotivating and frustrating when it affects a person's reading comprehension for school or work.
Almost 50% of learners with academic difficulties (such as dyslexia) are affected by Irlen Syndrome.
The root cause of Irlen Syndrome lies in perceptual problems, which mainly occur due to light sensitivity.
Learners with Irlen syndrome mostly benefit from using tinted glasses or coloured overlays. The coloured glasses or colored overlays filter out light that is causing the printing distortions. The problem may get even worse with white paper and black print on it, which is the most widely used format.
People who are suffering from Irlen Syndrome may face difficulty with:
A teacher in New Zealand, Olive Meares, was the first who identified the Irlen Syndrome in the 1980s. According to Olive Meares, some students could not write on or read from a white page. Helen Irlen was the American psychologist who examined further symptoms and labelled the condition as scotopic sensitivity. She observed the positive impact of using coloured overlays in easing the symptoms.
Helen Irlen was a school psychologist who was working with children who had reading difficulties. She found that these children often complained about visual distortions, headaches, and fatigue when reading printed materials. She also noticed that these children had a tendency to skip or repeat lines of text, lose their place while reading, and avoid reading altogether.
Through her research and clinical work, Irlen identified a visual perceptual problem that affected the way some people processed and interpreted visual information. She called this problem "scotopic sensitivity," which refers to the visual system's response to low levels of light. She found that people with Irlen Syndrome had difficulty filtering out certain wavelengths of light, which caused visual distortions that made reading and other visual tasks more difficult.
Irlen developed a diagnostic tool, which is a non-intrusive assessment that involves viewing different colors through colored overlays and/or lenses to determine which color(s) normalize the visual system. The treatment for Irlen Syndrome involves the use of colored overlays and/or lenses that block out specific wavelengths of light, which allows the brain to process visual information more efficiently. Today, Irlen Syndrome is recognized as a condition that affects many individuals, regardless of age or intellectual ability.
The Learning Research Association was founded in 1996. In 2014, its name was changed to the Irlen Syndrome Foundation. Its primary objective was to increase awareness that adults and children with Meares-Irlen Syndrome face concentration difficulties and cannot process and are sensitive to specific wavelengths of light. This may lead to symptoms such as poor brain interpretations and distortion issues, headache, fatigue, sensitivity to light and visual distortions during reading and writing.
According to scientific evidence , Irlen syndrome is more common than heart diseases and asthma as nearly 14 percent of individuals are affected by Irlen syndrome. The syndrome has been found to affect people with learning difficulties such as Attention Deficit Disorder, brain injury, Autism Spectrum disorder or dyslexia.
In the UK, the NHS does not yet identify Irlen Syndrome as a medical condition. This might be different in other countries where there are more reported cases.
When people demonstrate an array of symptoms of Irlen syndrome, they will receive a diagnosis and will generally need to perform medical tests and consult a professional optician. The optician will assess the person for a variety of symptoms and examine eyes, visual stress, and light sensitivity, and provide a piece of advice on the right fonts or background tint that suits the affected person.
Scientific evidence demonstrates that each person’s requirement for a suitable tint for colored filters or coloured overlays (or a pair of contact lenses or beneficial glasses) is unique. Also, using the wrong shade may result in problems and is less beneficial. Even if Irlen syndrome runs in a family, the choice of colour, tint and physical symptoms are not necessarily the same for each family member.
Dyslexia was once thought to be synonymous with Irlen Syndrome as both these conditions have many symptoms in common. However, today both Dyslexia and Irlen Syndrome are perceived as separate conditions.
International Dyslexia Association explained Dyslexia as a language-based disability of learning. Dyslexia is a cluster of symptoms, that serves as a lifetime barrier to learning language skills, especially reading. Learners with dyslexia mostly face difficulties with other language skills, i.e. pronouncing words, writing and spelling. On the other hand, Irlen Syndrome is identified as a perceptual processing disorder, which relates precisely to how the brain interprets the visual information it obtains. Irlen Syndrome is not a language-based disorder; therefore, phonics-based interventions will not help a person with Irlen Syndrome in the same way they will help a person with dyslexia in improving their reading skills.
If a teacher suspects that a student is affected by Irlen Syndrome, the teacher must look for a range of symptoms of visual stress and must try and print worksheets with different coloured paper backgrounds such as yellow, pastel pink or orange etc.
While younger students are learning to read, teachers may use box strips or gel strips and only expose the part of the text the student is expected to process at a particular time. Effective pacing is essential, or the learner may end up reading words without understanding due to visual stress. In the case of online classes, the teacher may ask the student to adjust the text colour or screen background until the student finds a colour that makes reading easier and reduces visual stress.
Irlen Syndrome is also called a ‘proposed’ visual syndrome. It is because previous research shows no strong evidence that coloured lenses or overlays affect reading. According to a Journal of the College of Optometrists research, there is a lack of evidence suggesting that using tinted lenses or colored overlays will reduce visual stress or reading difficulties. Positive outcomes in the research were seen as more possibly due to an outcome of a placebo effect. This is opposite to what has been proposed by Cornell University research, that using individualized spectral filters to channel content has a calming effect on a person's processing and improves brain function and cognitive abilities.
1. What is Irlen syndrome?
Irlen Syndrome is an eye disorder that causes some people to see distorted text on printed material such as books, newspapers, magazines, etc. This distortion can be seen as blurred lines, fuzzy edges, or other types of visual anomalies.
It is named after Dr. Helen Irlen, who first identified this condition in the 1960s. She was working with children who were having trouble reading.
2. How does Irlen Syndrome affect my vision?
When you look at something through your eyes, there is a process that takes place inside your brain. Your brain interprets what you are looking at and then sends signals to your muscles to move your eyeballs so that you can focus on whatever you are looking at. If you have Irlen Syndrome, your brain might interpret the images differently than usual.
This could lead to blurry vision, double vision, headaches, neck pain, dizziness, fatigue, and other symptoms.
3. Is Irlen Syndrome hereditary?
No, it is not hereditary.
4. Can I treat Irlen Syndrome?
Yes, you can treat Irlen Syndrome. There are several ways to help relieve the symptoms of Irlen Syndrome.
One way to treat Irlen Syndrome is to wear tinted eyeglasses or coloured overlays. These filters out the light that is causing the distortions.
Another way to treat Irlen syndrome is to use coloured pens instead of pencils. Coloured pens do not contain graphite, which is responsible for the blurring effect.
Coloured overlays are also helpful because they reduce glare and reflections. They can be worn over regular spectacles.
5. Are there any side effects of wearing coloured glasses?
There are no known side effects associated with wearing coloured glasses. However, if you are sensitive to certain colours, you should avoid them.
6. Do coloured glasses work for everyone?
No, they don't. It depends on how much light is entering your eyes. Some people will need more than others.
7. Does Irlen Syndrome affect only girls?
No, it affects both boys and girls.
8. What causes irlen syndrome?
Irlen syndrome is caused by a combination of factors including genetics, environment, and stress.
9. How common is Irlen Syndrome?
According to the National Eye Institute (NEI), approximately 1% of all Americans suffer from Irlen Syndrome.
10. Who gets Irlen Syndrome?
Anyone can develop Irlen Syndrome. It is most commonly found among young adults between 20 and 40 years.
Some people face difficulty in reading words from the screen or a paper, but they do not necessarily have a learning disability. Some individuals' ability to read is affected due to problems with visual processing or light sensitivity.
Irlen Syndrome is a condition (also referred to as Scotopic Sensitivity Syndrome or Meares-Irlen Syndrome) caused by visual stress in which the problem is not with seeing the written letters on a paper, but with brain interpretations of the visual information.
People may get affected by Irlen Syndrome at any age. It is both demotivating and frustrating when it affects a person's reading comprehension for school or work.
Almost 50% of learners with academic difficulties (such as dyslexia) are affected by Irlen Syndrome.
The root cause of Irlen Syndrome lies in perceptual problems, which mainly occur due to light sensitivity.
Learners with Irlen syndrome mostly benefit from using tinted glasses or coloured overlays. The coloured glasses or colored overlays filter out light that is causing the printing distortions. The problem may get even worse with white paper and black print on it, which is the most widely used format.
People who are suffering from Irlen Syndrome may face difficulty with:
A teacher in New Zealand, Olive Meares, was the first who identified the Irlen Syndrome in the 1980s. According to Olive Meares, some students could not write on or read from a white page. Helen Irlen was the American psychologist who examined further symptoms and labelled the condition as scotopic sensitivity. She observed the positive impact of using coloured overlays in easing the symptoms.
Helen Irlen was a school psychologist who was working with children who had reading difficulties. She found that these children often complained about visual distortions, headaches, and fatigue when reading printed materials. She also noticed that these children had a tendency to skip or repeat lines of text, lose their place while reading, and avoid reading altogether.
Through her research and clinical work, Irlen identified a visual perceptual problem that affected the way some people processed and interpreted visual information. She called this problem "scotopic sensitivity," which refers to the visual system's response to low levels of light. She found that people with Irlen Syndrome had difficulty filtering out certain wavelengths of light, which caused visual distortions that made reading and other visual tasks more difficult.
Irlen developed a diagnostic tool, which is a non-intrusive assessment that involves viewing different colors through colored overlays and/or lenses to determine which color(s) normalize the visual system. The treatment for Irlen Syndrome involves the use of colored overlays and/or lenses that block out specific wavelengths of light, which allows the brain to process visual information more efficiently. Today, Irlen Syndrome is recognized as a condition that affects many individuals, regardless of age or intellectual ability.
The Learning Research Association was founded in 1996. In 2014, its name was changed to the Irlen Syndrome Foundation. Its primary objective was to increase awareness that adults and children with Meares-Irlen Syndrome face concentration difficulties and cannot process and are sensitive to specific wavelengths of light. This may lead to symptoms such as poor brain interpretations and distortion issues, headache, fatigue, sensitivity to light and visual distortions during reading and writing.
According to scientific evidence , Irlen syndrome is more common than heart diseases and asthma as nearly 14 percent of individuals are affected by Irlen syndrome. The syndrome has been found to affect people with learning difficulties such as Attention Deficit Disorder, brain injury, Autism Spectrum disorder or dyslexia.
In the UK, the NHS does not yet identify Irlen Syndrome as a medical condition. This might be different in other countries where there are more reported cases.
When people demonstrate an array of symptoms of Irlen syndrome, they will receive a diagnosis and will generally need to perform medical tests and consult a professional optician. The optician will assess the person for a variety of symptoms and examine eyes, visual stress, and light sensitivity, and provide a piece of advice on the right fonts or background tint that suits the affected person.
Scientific evidence demonstrates that each person’s requirement for a suitable tint for colored filters or coloured overlays (or a pair of contact lenses or beneficial glasses) is unique. Also, using the wrong shade may result in problems and is less beneficial. Even if Irlen syndrome runs in a family, the choice of colour, tint and physical symptoms are not necessarily the same for each family member.
Dyslexia was once thought to be synonymous with Irlen Syndrome as both these conditions have many symptoms in common. However, today both Dyslexia and Irlen Syndrome are perceived as separate conditions.
International Dyslexia Association explained Dyslexia as a language-based disability of learning. Dyslexia is a cluster of symptoms, that serves as a lifetime barrier to learning language skills, especially reading. Learners with dyslexia mostly face difficulties with other language skills, i.e. pronouncing words, writing and spelling. On the other hand, Irlen Syndrome is identified as a perceptual processing disorder, which relates precisely to how the brain interprets the visual information it obtains. Irlen Syndrome is not a language-based disorder; therefore, phonics-based interventions will not help a person with Irlen Syndrome in the same way they will help a person with dyslexia in improving their reading skills.
If a teacher suspects that a student is affected by Irlen Syndrome, the teacher must look for a range of symptoms of visual stress and must try and print worksheets with different coloured paper backgrounds such as yellow, pastel pink or orange etc.
While younger students are learning to read, teachers may use box strips or gel strips and only expose the part of the text the student is expected to process at a particular time. Effective pacing is essential, or the learner may end up reading words without understanding due to visual stress. In the case of online classes, the teacher may ask the student to adjust the text colour or screen background until the student finds a colour that makes reading easier and reduces visual stress.
Irlen Syndrome is also called a ‘proposed’ visual syndrome. It is because previous research shows no strong evidence that coloured lenses or overlays affect reading. According to a Journal of the College of Optometrists research, there is a lack of evidence suggesting that using tinted lenses or colored overlays will reduce visual stress or reading difficulties. Positive outcomes in the research were seen as more possibly due to an outcome of a placebo effect. This is opposite to what has been proposed by Cornell University research, that using individualized spectral filters to channel content has a calming effect on a person's processing and improves brain function and cognitive abilities.
1. What is Irlen syndrome?
Irlen Syndrome is an eye disorder that causes some people to see distorted text on printed material such as books, newspapers, magazines, etc. This distortion can be seen as blurred lines, fuzzy edges, or other types of visual anomalies.
It is named after Dr. Helen Irlen, who first identified this condition in the 1960s. She was working with children who were having trouble reading.
2. How does Irlen Syndrome affect my vision?
When you look at something through your eyes, there is a process that takes place inside your brain. Your brain interprets what you are looking at and then sends signals to your muscles to move your eyeballs so that you can focus on whatever you are looking at. If you have Irlen Syndrome, your brain might interpret the images differently than usual.
This could lead to blurry vision, double vision, headaches, neck pain, dizziness, fatigue, and other symptoms.
3. Is Irlen Syndrome hereditary?
No, it is not hereditary.
4. Can I treat Irlen Syndrome?
Yes, you can treat Irlen Syndrome. There are several ways to help relieve the symptoms of Irlen Syndrome.
One way to treat Irlen Syndrome is to wear tinted eyeglasses or coloured overlays. These filters out the light that is causing the distortions.
Another way to treat Irlen syndrome is to use coloured pens instead of pencils. Coloured pens do not contain graphite, which is responsible for the blurring effect.
Coloured overlays are also helpful because they reduce glare and reflections. They can be worn over regular spectacles.
5. Are there any side effects of wearing coloured glasses?
There are no known side effects associated with wearing coloured glasses. However, if you are sensitive to certain colours, you should avoid them.
6. Do coloured glasses work for everyone?
No, they don't. It depends on how much light is entering your eyes. Some people will need more than others.
7. Does Irlen Syndrome affect only girls?
No, it affects both boys and girls.
8. What causes irlen syndrome?
Irlen syndrome is caused by a combination of factors including genetics, environment, and stress.
9. How common is Irlen Syndrome?
According to the National Eye Institute (NEI), approximately 1% of all Americans suffer from Irlen Syndrome.
10. Who gets Irlen Syndrome?
Anyone can develop Irlen Syndrome. It is most commonly found among young adults between 20 and 40 years.
