1. Irlen Syndrome What’s It All About?
© Irlen Institute 2014

2. What is Irlen Syndrome? Technically: A Visual Perceptual Disorder
The brain is unable to process certain wavelengths of light
© Irlen Institute 2014

3. What are the Symptoms? Light Sensitivity Attention Deficit
Inefficient Reading
Slow Reading Rate
Attention Deficit
Strain or Fatigue
Poor Depth Perception
© Irlen Institute 2014

4. Who has Irlen Syndrome? 46% Learning disabilities, reading problems
33% AD/HD, Dyslexia, behavior problems
14% General population, gifted, good readers
70% Head injury, concussion, or whip lash
30% Autism
© Irlen Institute 2014

5. What do people see when reading?
A few examples…
Blurry
Seesaw
Rivers
© Irlen Institute 2014

6. What do people see? A few more examples… Washout Star Wars Swirl
And there are lots more!
© Irlen Institute 2014

7. How do I know if I have it? Reading Difficulties Discomfort
Skip words or lines
Lose place
Repeat lines
Misread words
Reading slow or choppy
Reading gets harder the longer you read
Trouble understanding what you read
Eyes: hurt, ache, burn
Eyes: dry, sandy, scratchy, itchy, heavy
Sleepy
Headache, dizzy, nauseous
More difficult to read with bright or fluorescent lights
© Irlen Institute 2014

9. Choosing Your Colour? Self selection doesn’t work
Some colours can be worse than white
See the SpLD team for an Irlen Screen
© Irlen Institute 2014

10. Are you affected by the following:
Discomfort: in fluorescent light, bright lights, sunlight, lights at night

11. Do you get this?
Eyestrain and headaches: fatigue and/or tension from - reading, computers, lighting

12. Do you have?
Problems judging distance: causing difficulty with stairs, escalators, driving and sports

13. Do you experience this?
Concentration problems: reading comprehension, listening and completing work

14. Does a white background affect you?
Contrast and glare: from black print on white paper, whiteboards, computer screen

15. Is this you?
Less fluent reading: losing your place, missing lines, poor tracking, slow reading, not being able to ‘see’ words in groups, poor comprehension - having to reread a lot

16. Do you see - Distortions in print:
blurring, fading, swirling, seeing ‘worms’ or ‘rivers’, print ‘lifting’ and moving

17. How to Get an Irlen Screen
Make an appointment with the SpLD team at the Main Reception in the Norwich Building

18. Further Information….