What is Irlen Syndrome?

Irlen Syndrome is a type of visual or perceptual processing disorder. Someone with a visual or perceptual processing disorder has difficulty making sense of visual information. This is different from problems involving sight or vision. When an individual suffers from Irlen Syndrome, their brain has difficulty processing certain wavelengths of light. In this way, light (especially bright and fluorescent lighting) becomes a stressor on the brain. This stress causes certain parts of the brain (e.g., the visual cortex) to become overactive. It is this over-activity and inability to effectively process visual stimuli that creates a variety of visual, physical, cognitive, emotional, and neurological symptoms. Light sensitivity is very common with Irlen Syndrome. Irlen Syndrome is hereditary and tends to run in families, affecting males and females equally. However, an individual can also acquire symptoms of Irlen Syndrome as a result of illness, medical procedures, or traumatic brain injury (or concussion). Like Autism, Irlen Syndrome is a spectrum disorder, falling on a continuum from slight to severe. Individuals who can read or perform visually- intensive activities for 40-60 minutes before any Irlen symptoms appear are on the slight end of the spectrum. These individuals can manage most academic tasks without difficulty; but when endurance is required, their performance may deteriorate. Individuals with severe Irlen Syndrome will experience symptoms within 20 minutes of beginning to read. For some, symptoms may not begin immediately; however, symptoms will get worse the longer the individual continues to read or be in bright lighting. Fortunately, it is very easy to treat Irlen Syndrome.

What is a perceptual processing disorder?

When the brain has difficulty processing visual information it is called a visual, or perceptual, processing disorder. How, or what, someone sees might be affected, but it is not a problem with the eyes, it is a problem with the brain. Visual processing problems can include difficulties with visual discrimination, visual memory, visual sequencing, and visual motor processing. In the case of Irlen Syndrome, a core light sensitivity is what leads to the visual processing problems the brain experiences. Visual processing problems can sometimes overlap with learning difficulties and concentration problems, but are quite prevalent within the general population as well. While most often, a visual or perceptual processing disorder will be present from birth, visual processing problems can also be the result of head injury.

“Irlen Syndrome: A Teen’s Summary by David Accola”

Irlen Syndrome can affect many different areas, including:

Academic and work performance
Behavior
Attention
Ability to sit still
Concentration

This problem can manifest itself differently for each individual. This problem is not remediable and is often a lifetime barrier to learning and performance. If you suffer from any of the following, Irlen Syndrome might be your problem:

Print looks different
Environment looks different
Slow or inefficient reading
Poor comprehension
Eye strain
Fatigue
Headaches
Difficulty with math computation
Difficulty copying
Difficulty reading music
Poor sports performance
Poor depth-perception
Low motivation
Low self-esteem

Symptoms of Irlen Syndrome

Light Sensitivity:

Bothered by glare, fluorescent lights, bright lights, sunlight and sometimes lights at night
Some individuals experience physical symptoms and feel tired, sleepy, dizzy, anxious, or irritable. Others experience headaches, mood changes, restlessness or have difficulty staying focused, especially with bright or fluorescent lights.

Reading Problems:

Poor comprehension
Misreads words
Problems tracking from line to line
Reads in dim light
Skips words or lines
Reads slowly or hesitantly
Takes breaks
Loses place
Avoids reading

Discomfort:

Strain and fatigue
Tired or sleepy
Headaches or nausea
Fidgety or restless
Eyes that hurt or become watery

Attention and Concentration Problems:

Problems with concentration when reading and doing academic tasks
Often people can appear to have other conditions, such as attention deficit disorder, and are given medication unnecessarily.

Writing Problems:

Trouble copying
Unequal spacing
Unequal letter size
Writing up or downhill
Inconsistent spelling

Other Characteristics:

Strain or fatigue from computer use
Difficulty reading music
Sloppy, careless math errors
Misaligned numbers in columns
Ineffective use of study time
Lack of motivation
Grades do not reflect the amount of effort

Depth Perception:

Clumsiness
Difficulty catching balls
Difficulty judging distances
Additional caution necessary while driving

Distortions:

Words on the page lack clarity or stability; i.e., may appear to be blurry, moving, or disappear