Meares-Irlen Syndrome
Meares-Irlen Syndrome is a condition which was first recognised in 1980, but it is still not well understood. A teacher in New Zealand, Olive Meares, was the first to provide a detailed account of the spatial distortions affecting text being read by some individuals. She reported that the effects could be reduced or eliminated by the use of coloured paper or by using coloured plastic overlays.
A psychologist called Helen Irlen, wrote a paper describing similar symptoms. She named the effect Scotopic Sensitivity or Irlen Syndrome and also reported that the distortions were reduced if text was viewed through a coloured filter or overlay.
Common symptoms of Meares-Irlen syndrome are:
- Blurring of print.
- ‘Squashed up’ print.
- Movement of print - wiggling or vibration of letters.
- Letters muddling or words ‘falling off the page’.
- Letters changing or doubling.
- Letters fading or becoming darker.
- Patterns appearing in the print.
- Illusions of colour - blobs of colour moving on the page.
- Nausea, discomfort or even pain caused by glare from the page.
- Rivers of light snaking through the text (often described as waterfalls).
- Headaches, tired or sore eyes.
If you think you may have Meares-Irlen syndrome:
- Go to an optician, have an ordinary eye test and get appropriate treatment if necessary.
- If symptoms persist, visit your G.P. who can refer you on to a specialist in the local Orthoptic Department for testing for Visual Perception Difficulties.
Treatment is very simple. The orthoptist, (a specialist optician), will identify a coloured filter (overlay or spectacles) which can improve the symptoms. The correct colour is different for each person and has to be carefully selected.
