Meares-Irlen Syndrome, any experience?

gunsandbanjos

As per title I'm wondering if anyone has any experience of Meares-Irlen?
My DD may have it, she's going back for more tests in 2 weeks but she apparently displays classic symptoms.

Mojisola

My dyslexic son was tested by his optician and found that a particular shade of red helped him a lot. He used an overlay at first to test it and then had glasses made with tinted lenses.

He wasn't diagnosed as having Irlen Syndrome specifically.

securityguy

The evidence isn't great.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=coloured+filters+dyslexia

krustylouise

I'm 28 and was told when I was 18 I had it. I don't consider it to have made an effect on my life at all.

Wyre

My 14 yr old daughter has it, as does my husband. She use a gold overlay at school, the school print things on different colours for her and write on the white board in a different colours for her. At home and at school, if she is word processing she changes the background on the pc to as close to the shade she needs as possible.

It doesn't cure dyslexia, but it does turn dyslexia where the words won't sit still on the page, into more regular dyslexia. She has other symptoms - she has depth perception issues but she compensates and is pretty good at shooting at cadets. An analogue clock just won't work for her

I have to say I was devastated when she explained to me that it wasn't she couldn't make sense of the words, but that the words didn't even sit still but jumped about all over the place. I felt I had failed somehow as it wasn't picked up 'til she was in junior school - she thought it was normal!! Then hubby told me it is the same for him. I always knew he had dyslexia and depth perception issues but waaay back in the dim and distant past Mears-Irlen didn't exist and you were lucky if you were diagnosed with dyslexia. He had an awful time at school - except in maths where he excelled. It hasn't stopped him passing all his driving tests to be an HGV class 1 driver.

They both have issues with getting out things they want to say, they know what it is, but can't phrase it properly, more so in stressful situations so hubby and I never argue!

I want to get my lass tinted glasses but I think these are expensive, it's something I am looking in to.

Feel free to drop me a pm if I can help with anything.

choccymoose

My son has it, he's 8 and wears a Sea green / blue lense. It doesn't cure it but does aleviate the symptoms. There is a Facebook support page with loads of experienced parents on board.

And for each bit of research that debunks Meares / visual stress and scotopic sensitivity there is a piece that proves it exists. The Same used to be said about dyslexia!

We have dyslexia in the family,not me, but Meares is different, it is more common in dyslexic people but others like my son have Meares in isolation. It's sometimes referred to as visual dyslexia, but more commonly visual stress, scotopic sensitivity etc.

Wyre totally get where you are coming from, my 8 year old sees rainbows over the words, when he was able to articulate what he was seeing I was amazed at what he had to cope with. I will never forget him saying in the car in the way home
Don't you see rainbows when you read mum?" Followed up with so I'm not stupid then ?

Facebook group is parents of kids with visual stress. It's a great support group and has members from around the world.

gunsandbanjos

Thanks guys, very helpful.

Not had a diagnosis yet but optician said she displays classic symptoms. Hopefully we can get her some help.

choccymoose

Depending on where you live it can be costly as its not funded on the NHS everywhere. Are you being referred to an Irlen centre or a ophthalmologist who uses the colourimetry screening?

If you look on my previous postings, there is a thread about mis diagnosis of dyslexia, there is some good info on there

gunsandbanjos

Test is £40 but if she's found to have it the overlays are included in that apparently.

gunsandbanjos

Meant to say we're in Scotland, Edinburgh to be exact.

gunsandbanjos

Have sent a request to join the Facebook group.