Everything You Need to Know About the Irlen Syndrome

While dyslexic people are commonly known to have difficulty in understanding words, there is another condition that they could also possibly have and that is Irlen Syndrome. This condition is highly associated with dyslexia since they both have a number of similar symptoms. A lot of dyslexics actually have this syndrome, along with having dyslexia itself.

Various research and tests revealed that a diversity of problems could result from seeing a distorted page of numbers, words, and musical notes. It can actually affect reading, spelling, and writing. Also, there are times that math, copying skills, music reading, driving, sports performance, ability to work on a computer, and being comfortable under fluorescent lights are also affected.

What is Irlen Syndrome?

People with this syndrome perceive the printed page in a different way than those who have a normal vision. A person who has this is obliged to constantly adapt to the distortions that can be seen on the printed page.

Irlen Syndrome can cause a person to become a slow or inefficient reader. If you’re someone who has this syndrome, you may exhibit poor comprehension, since you don’t really understand what you are reading. Moreover, you can also suffer from headaches, strain, or fatigue.

This condition can affect a person’s attention span, motivation, energy level, depth perception, handwriting, and most of all, self-esteem. People who suffer from this condition are sometimes labeled as ‘underachievers’ with behavioral, motivational or attitudinal problems.

This syndrome is considered to be a variable and complex condition that is often found co-existing with other learning differences, such as dyslexia.

Who discovered Irlen Syndrome?

The syndrome was first identified by Helen Irlen, an Educational Psychologist. This happened in the 1980’s while she was working in California with adult learners. She was able to observe that a number of her students could read with better ease every time they used a colored overlay to cover the printed page they were reading.

What are Irlen Syndrome’s symptoms?

Some symptoms of this syndrome are poor reading comprehension, reading in dim light, misreading of words, skipping of words or lines, slow or hesitant manner of reading, and avoidance of reading itself.

While reading, a person with this condition can have numerous complaints like strain, fatigue, tiredness, sleepiness, headaches, and nausea. A person may also seem restless and fidgety while doing the task.

In regard to writing, one can experience some trouble copying words, have an unequal spacing between characters, and an uphill or downhill direction of writing as well as inconsistent spelling of words can also be observed.

A person with an Irlen Syndrome can also feel fatigue and strain when using the computer. Additionally, there will also be some difficulty when reading music. Furthermore, sloppy or careless math mistakes and misaligned numbers when working on columns can also be noticed.

One obvious symptom however is the syndrome’s effect on a person’s depth perception. If you have this condition, you are often clumsy and have difficulty with sports that involve catching balls. You may also have problems in judging distances.

Unfortunately, when people with dyslexia undergo treatment, the intervention is not successful in most cases since there is an underlying presence of Irlen Syndrome. That is why getting an assessment for this condition is equally important when you have dyslexia.

How can Irlen Syndrome be treated?

If you are a dyslexic with this condition, you need to undergo the patented treatment method. This method uses specially formulated, colored overlays or colored lenses that you can wear as glasses or even contact lenses. Once you use the lenses, a reduction or even elimination of perceptual difficulties will be experienced.

This program is specifically designed to fulfill the needs of people with learning difficulties, such as ADHD, autism, dyslexia, and other conditions that can interfere with sufficient functioning inside the workplace, classroom, and during socialization.