Dyspraxia Visual Stress - Meares Irlen Syndrome

Visual Stress (also known as visual perception dysfunction, Meares Irlen Syndrome or Irlen Syndrome) is a very specific problem associated with the photoreceptors of the eye (cells in the retina) and how wavelengths of light are absorbed and processed by the brain.

It is important to seek advice from a qualified medical practitioner to exclude any medical conditions that might be causing the above symptoms and make sure that an up-to-date eyesight check with a fully qualified Optician or Optometrist has been completed before screening for visual stress.

Signs and symptoms

• Strain or Fatigue: Feeling strain, tension, fatigue, sleepy, or headaches with reading and other perceptual activities.
• Poor Depth Perception: Inability to accurately judge distance or spatial relationships. May be unsure or have difficulty with such things as escalators, stairs, ball sports, or driving.

This can lead to difficulties with:

• Reading accuracy and comprehension
• Processing written text
• Poor handwriting
• Difficulties with attention and concentration
• Light sensitivity and distortion/blurring of text
• Physical effects such as headache, eye strain, dizziness and nausea.

Ideas to support inclusion

• A person with Meares Irlen will likely be assessed to use tinted filters worn as glasses, to reduce or eliminate perception difficulties and light sensitivity. Overlays and specific coloured paper may also support in the short term but are not ideal as they don’t support looking at a white board or writing on anything other than the coloured pad.