IRLEN SYNDROME & IRLEN SYNDROME & VISUAL STRESSVISUAL STRESS

Moira Thomson – Irlen screener

Liz McKelvie – Irlen consultant

IRLEN SYNDROMEIRLEN SYNDROMEVISUAL STRESSVISUAL STRESS

Affects 12 – 14% of general population

• 46% of Individuals with learning differences

• 31% of Individuals with ADD/HD Challenging Behaviour

• 50% of Individuals with Dyslexia

• 33% of Individuals on the Autistic Spectrum

• Traumatic head injuries and stroke victims

• other Medical Conditions – epilepsy, asthma, migraine

OLIVE MEARES/HELEN IRLENOLIVE MEARES/HELEN IRLEN

• MEARES (1980) – New ZealandNoted that some dyslexic subjects

reported visual distortions when reading.

• IRLEN – CaliforniaFound that distortions could be

alleviated by the use of coloured overlays. Went on to develop Irlen precision filters.

Irlen Syndrome/Meares Irlen Irlen Syndrome/Meares Irlen Syndrome/Scotopic Syndrome/Scotopic

Sensitivity /Visual StressSensitivity /Visual Stress

• A problem with the way the brain interprets the information being sent by the eyes – due to light.

• Problems with pattern e.g. repeated black lines on white page

• Hyper-sensitivity to light –especially flickering and glare

IRLEN SYNDROMEIRLEN SYNDROME

Irlen Syndrome /Meares-Irlen is recognised as a protected characteristic (disability) under the 2010 Equality Act

Most Irlen sufferers are unaware that the print or background may not be clear or stable.

They often assume that everyone else sees a page of print in the same way.

IRLEN OVERLAYS/LENSESIRLEN OVERLAYS/LENSES

• Over 5,000 U.S. School Districts use the Irlen Screening Method

• Approx 100,000 adults and children wear Irlen Filter Lenses

• 90% of those with Irlen Syndrome can benefit from the Irlen Method.

EAST RENFREWSHIRE EAST RENFREWSHIRE PILOTPILOT

70 Pupils aged 7 to 17 – assessed as dyslexic - 4 Schools – 1 Sec, 3 Primary

•13 pupils – no Irlen identified•24 difficulties – slight to moderate•28 difficulties – moderate to severe•5 difficulties – top end of severe

Reading speed was tested before & after Irlen screening.

EAST RENFREWSHIRE EAST RENFREWSHIRE PILOTPILOT

Reading speed• 3 Pupils gained between 80% – 160%• 1 Pupil gained between 50% - 80%• 10 Pupils gained between 20% - 50%• 20 Pupils gained between 10% - 20%• 12 Pupils gained between 5% and 10%• 14 Pupils gained between 0% and 5%• 10 pupils reading speeds decreased

IRLEN & WILKINS IRLEN & WILKINS COLORIMETERCOLORIMETER

OPTOMETRISTS AND ORGANISATIONS OTHER THEN AN IRLEN CLINIC •Have no connection with Helen Irlen or the Irlen Institute•Developed from independent research into colour and vision•Have a different range of tinted filters and cannot supply Irlen Lenses

IRLEN SYMPTOMSIRLEN SYMPTOMS

FIVE SUB GROUPS

• Light sensitivity

• Inefficient reading/slow reading rate

• Attention and concentration

• Reading discomfort

• Environmental misperceptions

LIGHT SENSITIVITY SUB-GROUPLIGHT SENSITIVITY SUB-GROUP

• Glare when looking through fog or haze

• Sensitive to the brightness of light

• Sensitive to glare

• Sensitive to fluorescent lighting

• Get dizzy/restless in fluorescent light

•Develop headaches in fluorescent light

• Sensitive to bright sunlight

• Get headaches/dizzy/nausea going from dark to light

They prefer to read in dim light

For these people the world Is always too bright

PEOPLE OF THIS GROUP EXPERIENCE PEOPLE OF THIS GROUP EXPERIENCE

PRINT MOVEMENT AND PRINT PRINT MOVEMENT AND PRINT RECOGNITION DIFFICULTY SUB-GROUPRECOGNITION DIFFICULTY SUB-GROUP

• Letters move. dance, vibrate, pulsate, jiggle, and shift as they read.

•Letters reverse themselves or move around as they read.

•Letters tilt, stretch, merge and overlap as they read.

•Words collapse into each other.

•Words turn around, move or run around on the page.

•Surrounding words refuse to stay in place.

•Words on the surrounding page, not being read, distorted and move around.

•Words run together and overlap each other as they read.

““CLASSIC DYSLEXIA” GROUPCLASSIC DYSLEXIA” GROUPA PAGE IN THEIR WORLD LOOKS LIKE THISA PAGE IN THEIR WORLD LOOKS LIKE THIS

PEOPLE OF THIS GROUP EXPERIENCEPEOPLE OF THIS GROUP EXPERIENCE

BACKGROUND REACTION SUB-BACKGROUND REACTION SUB-GROUPGROUP

• Indistinct letters as white background eats into them

• After they have read for a while the background swallows up the black letters.

• White washout effect (background eats the word and letters, and tends to become dominant)

•The background of the page flickers, twinkles, flashes or glows.

• Letters and punctuation disappear as they read.

•The whiteness of the page gets so bright that they can't see the words.

A PAGE IN THEIR WORLD LOOKS LIKE THISA PAGE IN THEIR WORLD LOOKS LIKE THISPEOPLE OF THIS GROUP: EXPERIENCEPEOPLE OF THIS GROUP: EXPERIENCE

Symptoms – Signs in ReadingSymptoms – Signs in Reading

• Misreads words• Skips words or lines• Reads slowly or hesitantly• Takes breaks• Loses place• Shades text, reads in dim light• Weak comprehension at times• Avoids reading

Symptoms – Complaints while Symptoms – Complaints while ReadingReading

• Strain and fatigue

• Tired or sleepy

• Headaches or nausea

• Fidgety or restless

• ‘Bored’ / unable to concentrate

Symptoms – Writing Symptoms – Writing CharacteristicsCharacteristics

• Copying inaccurate/incomplete • Unequal spacing • Writing up or downhill • Inconsistent spelling• Fatigue – ‘sore’ hand/wrist

Symptoms – Other Symptoms – Other CharacteristicsCharacteristics

• Strain/fatigue from computer use• Difficulty reading music • Apparently careless maths errors • Misaligned numbers in columns• Attainment does not reflect ability• Poor return for huge effort made

Symptoms – Depth PerceptionSymptoms – Depth Perception

• Clumsiness • Difficulty catching balls • Difficulty judging distances• Some spatial difficulties in

Maths• Additional caution necessary

while crossing a road or driving

COLOURED OVERLAYSCOLOURED OVERLAYS

USE OF IRLEN FILTERSFor some, the impact of the overlay is immediate and striking.

For others, using the overlay is better than not using it, but improvement is slow.

Some people use an overlay for a while, then reject it as they are ‘cured’.

BeforBeforee

AfteAfterr

IRLEN SCREENERS

• Trained to identify Irlen Syndrome in clients – various ages

• Assessment identifies the areas of difficulty and the severity of the difficulty

• Work with overlays to alleviate distortions on the printed page

• Make referrals to Irlen Diagnosticians

IRLEN DIAGNOSTICIAN

Works with clients to eliminate all distortions on the page and discomfort from the environment.

Irlen diagnosticianLIZ MCKELVIE

IRLEN

enquiries@irlenscotland.co.uk

www.irlenscotland.co.uk

0141 270 8044

www.irlenscotland.co.uk

www.irlen.com