| WHAT
IS IRLEN SYNDROME?*
The Irlen Method has helped children and adults worldwide become
successful rather than continue to experience  enormous
difficulties. This method has received international acclaim and
Helen Irlen’s work has been included in professional journals,
textbooks, National Geographic, TV shows such as 60 Minutes and
Good Morning America, ABC World News With Peter Jennings, NBC
News and has been the subject of many news broadcasts by the BBC
and news shows in Ireland, Hong Kong, Netherlands, New Zealand,
and Australia including their 60 Minutes.
The Irlen Method provides a unique service for children and adults
with reading, attention, and learning difficulties. But even good
readers and gifted students can be helped. At least two million
Americans are identified as learning disabled. Many more are labeled
as "not trying hard enough" at school for a variety
of reasons, including lack of motivation, attention deficit disorder,
reading problems, or discipline problems.
The Irlen Method expands upon current standardized testing by
exploring a wide range of reasons for poor school and work performance.
The standard tests frequently fail to identify all the reasons
for problems because they look at only part of the puzzle.
Irlen Syndrome, also known as, Scotopic Sensitivity Syndrome
(SSS) is a type of visual perceptual problem. It is not an optical
problem. It is a problem with how the nervous system encodes and
decodes visual information. Academic and work performance, behavior,
attention, ability to sit still and concentration can be affected.
Individuals with this problem see the printed page differently,
although they may not realize that they do. Having Irlen Syndrome
keeps many people from reading effectively, efficiently, or even
at all. Until now, it has baffled educators and medical scientists
because it is undetected by standard visual, educational and medical
tests.
Individuals with Irlen Syndrome see the printed page differently
from those with normal vision and must constantly adapt to distortions
appearing on the printed page. They may be slow or inefficient
readers, exhibit poor comprehension, suffer from strain, fatigue
or headaches. It can affect their attention-span, energy-level,
motivation, handwriting, depth-perception and, ultimately, self-esteem.
Irlen syndrome sufferers may be labeled as underachievers with
behavioural, attitudinal, or motivational problems. It is a complex
and variable condition sometimes found to co-exist with other
learning-disabilities.
THE IRLEN METHOD OF TREATMENT.
Irlen Syndrome was first identified by Educational Psychologist,
Helen Irlen, while she was working with adult-learners in California
in the early 1980s. She observed that some of her students read
with greater ease when they covered a page of print with a Coloured
overlay. The patented treatment-method uses specially formulated,
coloured overlays or coloured lenses worn as glasses or contact
lenses to reduce or eliminate perception-difficulties.
APPROACH.
In a comfortable and informal setting, professionals work to identify
key factors which are affecting learning progress. Family members
participate in the evaluation process and a multidisciplinary
assessment helps to find all the pieces of the puzzle. The program
is designed to serve the needs of individuals with learning difficulties,
attention deficit, autism, and other problems which interfere
with adequate functioning in the classroom, workplace, and socially.
WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS?
A variety of problems can result from seeing a distorted page
of words, numbers or musical notes or perceiving your environment
in a distorted fashion. It can affect reading, writing, spelling,
math, copying, reading music, working on a computer, night driving,
driving, sports performance, comfort under fluorescent lights,
and other areas of a person’s life.
LIGHT SENSITIVITY
Bothered by glare, sunlight, headlights or streetlights. Discomfort
or difficulty concentrating or working under bright lights or
fluorescent lights. Some individuals become tired, others experience
headaches, mood change, fidgety or an inability to stay focused
with bright or fluorescent lights.
PROBLEMS WITH WHITE HIGH GLOSS MATERIAL
Some individuals find that they cannot read as long or with as
good comprehension when material is on white paper. The white
may be glarey or compete with the black print, making the letters
less readable. The same problems can occur with numbers on math
pages and musical pages.
INEFFICIENT READING
Difficulty reading print, numbers or musical notes. Problems may
include print that shifts, shakes, blurs, moves, runs together,
disappears or becomes difficult to perceive.
SLOW READING RATE
Inability to read groups of letters, number or words at the same
time. This results in problems tracking, slow reading rate, word-by-word
reading, or an inability to skim and speed-read. Individuals often
use their finger or a marker when reading.
ATTENTION DEFICIT
Problems in concentration while reading ,writing,or working on
the computer. May have difficulty staying on task, take frequent
breaks, become restless, fidgety or tired.
STRAIN OR FATIGUE
Feeling strain, tension, tired, sleepy, or even getting headaches
with reading and other perceptual activities. Strain can interfere
with the ease of reading, studying, or even listening.
POOR DEPTH-PERCEPTION
Problem judging distance and spatial relationships accurately.
May be unsure or have difficulty with such things as escalators,
stairs, ball sports, or driving.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR:
SIGNS IN READING
Poor comprehension
Misreads words
Reads in dim light
Skips words or lines
Reads slowly or hesitantly
Takes breaks
Loses place
Avoids reading
COMPLAINTS WHILE READING
Strain and fatigue
Tired or sleepy
Headaches or nausea
Fidgety or restless
WRITING CHARACTERISTICS
Trouble copying
Unequal spacing
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
WHERE TO GO FOR HELP:
Professional educators and psychologists who have been trained
in this patented method are located worldwide. To contact Clara
Gizinski, Certified Screener, click here.
Colored lenses provided by optometrists and vision specialists
to treat dyslexia and reading problems are NOT the same as the
Irlen Method. Others do not have the right colors, or diagnostic
process for color selection. Inaccurate colour selection can result
in headaches, eye strain, and fragmented brain processing resulting
in more distortions and reading problems.
*Copied from www.irlen.com
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