coloured overlays

savings_girl

my son has a visual impairment and it has been suggested that he might benefit from using coloured overlays has anyone got any expierience of using these as we are unsure what it involves and what colour overlay to try.
thank you

Marsh_Samphire

Go to
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/factual/learningcurve_20051101.shtml

This radio 4 programme called The Learning Curve had a lot of information about it recently. You can listen to the programme from that web page and there are some links at the bottom to more info. Hope it helps.

KizzyK_2

I got assessed for dyslexic at my college 18 (or so) months ago, one of the tests that they did involved coloured overlays, seeing which ones I responded best to (which one, if any, stopped the words jumping over the page and made it clearer). I responded to a dark blue and the college sent me to the London Optometrist Hospital where they did some more tests and found the right shade of dark blue that worked best and I got glasses made up with blue lenses.

Maybe you got get in touch with your son’s school and talk to the teacher in charge of learning support, they should be able to do the tests or refer you to someone who can.

Bennifred

Some opticians also take an interest and may be able to help your son.

Savvy_Sue

I heard that programme and it seemed very interesting: my friend's son was given coloured glasses a few years ago and they seemed to help him.

Prudent

Most opticians can do tests for the overlays. Usually there is a charge for them. Most local authorities will also have at least one specialist teacher of visual impairment who may be able to help.

My daughter has dyslexic type difficulties and says rulers with inbuilt coloured strips do help her reading. I should mention though that there is disagreement over whether there is a benefit in them for dyslexia.

You can ask the learning support teacher, but ideally it should only be for referral to a specialist. A few support teachers are trained to use inlays, but the majority aren't. Be wary of getting a test done by someone who is not qualified.

black-saturn

I'm colourblind with red and blue. When I was little I was tried on coloured overlays to correct it. I don't think they must have made much difference as I'm still the same and have just learnt to live with it. I think I wore them for about a year with no success. I dont wear any type of glasses now.

nelly_2

They dont work for all cases aparently theres 2 types of colourblindness.

jellyhead

you can get info by searching for 'irlen syndrome'. irlen suggests that up to 14% of people are affected in some way and could benefit, even from just a light tint. i couldn't afford proper tests but got react-to-light lenses instead and now i wouldn't be without them. a tint could help with night driving, headaches when reading, etc.

as a classroom volunteer i've heard children read who were using coloured acetates placed over the page. the coloured acetate did make a big difference. colours ranged from pale yellow to dark purple or blue. one girl used double strength purple - i couldn't read a thing through it but she could. the acetates will help with reading but not writing. school has yellow paper for some of the dyslexic children to write on (and for photocopies/homework etc. to be printed on). there's also pink paper and pale blue but no dark colours.

there is a dyslexia website somewhere that allows you to change the background colour just by clicking on a colour, to find which background you prefer. of course you could do it yourself in word etc.

having tinted glasses means i no longer bump into walls or other people. i don't get headaches in supermarkets and can read without getting a headache.

Prudent

If your child does benefit from a change of background colour, check out what kind of board is being used in the classroom. Many schools are moving over to 'interactive' whiteboards. The background colour of these boards can be changed. The slight hints of colour are better than the glare of a white background.

jellyhead

yes, i prefer a yellowish background. it doesn't have to be very different, just a pale yellow helps me.