What is visual stress?

 

Visual stress, also known as Meares-Irlen Syndrome, is a condition referring to difficulties with reading due to perceived “distortions” in pages of text. This occurs due to hyper-excitability of the visual cortex (the part of the brain responsible for visual processing) when viewing certain visual patterns.  Research suggests that up to 20% of the general population are affected by visual stress.

 

Symptoms include:

 

-   Movement of print

-   Doubling of words

-   Blurring of print

-   Glare, especially from a white page

-   Slow reading / re-reading the same line

-   Patterns appearing in printed text

-   Poor comprehension of reading content

-   Eyestrain or fatigue

-   Discomfort when reading.

 

It has been scientifically proven that for certain patients suffering from visual stress these symptoms can be significantly reduced with the use of a specific coloured filter.

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Unfortunately colour sensitivity screening is not covered by the NHS.

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The initial assessment costs £65

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Colorimetry assessment is only available in our Bromyard practice

 

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