What does a person with Irlen Syndrome see?

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The way that the world appears to those with Irlen Syndrome does not match what the rest of the world sees. People with this condition tend to have a very different perception of the world around them. Colors can appear brighter or duller, shapes can seem to shift and blend together, and the ability to navigate the world can be very challenging.

Irlen Syndrome is a visual perception disorder that is characterized by difficulty with reading due to abnormal light sensitivity.

Many people with dyslexia describe seeing black bars or sparkles on the page or screen when reading, which makes reading extremely difficult. Others describe the page as a wall of color. Still others describe the page as a grid of colors or a mosaic. In all cases, the reader is seeing the page differently than other people and the effect is often described as “strange” or “glare.”

The difficulties that people with Irlen Syndrome experience with reading are not due to low intelligence, but rather a neurological issue.

The brain is made up of millions of neurons, which are specialized cells that allow us to process and remember information. Because of the difficulty that people with Irlen Syndrome have with reading, it is thought that their brains are unable to translate the print on the page into a mental image. In other words, what the brain sees on the page is not the same as what the eyes are actually seeing.

While there is no cure for Irlen Syndrome, there are several ways to help alleviate the symptoms.

People with Irlen Syndrome see letters and numbers in a jumbled mess. This condition is known as dyslexia and is not the same as a learning disability. Dyslexia is not a mental illness. It is simply a difference in the way the brain processes sensory information. Dyslexia is not the same for everyone. Some people with dyslexia are highly intelligent and others have difficulty reading at all.

Invest in the best eyeglasses you can afford.

The symptoms of irlen syndrome vary from person to person. Common symptoms of irlen syndrome include difficulty focusing, reading the blackboard or computer screen (or both), spelling and writing. Other symptoms include headaches, ear infections, nausea and loss of appetite.

Use magnification.

The world is full of color to a person with red-green color blindness. They may struggle to differentiate between shades of blue or greens and may confuse colors. They may also struggle to read small print and may have to read things twice. This is because the brain is trying to compensate for the lack of color perception, so it makes it appear darker than it is.

Change your lighting.

People with this type of dyslexia may see the world differently than others. They have difficulty making sense of shadows and contrast. They may have difficulty reading in dimly lit rooms or may need brighter lights. When they look at a computer screen, they may have to move the screen closer or use a larger font. They may also have difficulty reading maps or charts.

Try colored lenses.

Those with Irlen Syndrome see colors differently. The diagnosis is made by a physician after a series of tests. For example, the Ishihara color test is often used to detect it. In this test, a person is given a series of rows of different-colored letters, numbers, and symbols. The person is asked to identify those they can see. Those with color vision deficiency often struggle to see the colors in the test, but those with Irlen Syndrome see the colors differently. They see the colors as lighter than they actually are.

Conclusion

One of the biggest challenges that those with Irlen Syndrome face is reading. Because reading is a very complex process, it is easy for anyone to have issues with it. Those with Irlen Syndrome have a particularly difficult time with reading because of the way the information is presented to them. When reading, those with Irlen Syndrome often struggle to make sense of the words on a page. They also struggle to keep their eyes still while reading.