What is Irlen Syndrome?
Irlen syndrome is a visual perception disorder that affects an estimated 48% of those with dyslexia and other learning difficulties. It also affects around 12% of the general population.
People with Irlen syndrome have problems with the way they view written words and the environment around them. Common symptoms include: words moving and changing on the page, difficulty following lines of text, wavy images and ‘rivers’ travelling down the white spaces between words on a page. White pages often produce a ‘glare’ and sufferers may also experience light sensitivity. Such vision problems can severely hinder an individual’s learning ability and quality of life.
How Irlen Testing Works
Sarah Bycroft is the licenced Irlen Diagnostician for the North Shore. She is trained to test for, and treat Irlen Syndrome. She starts the process with a one hour screening appointment in which a patient works through a series of questions and exercises to determine whether they have Irlen Syndrome.
If a diagnosis is confirmed, a diagnostic appointment is required. In this appointment, the patient will work through a full range of tinted lenses to determine which specific wave lengths of light are affecting their vision. Once the appropriate filters are determined specialised lenses can be made.