Visual Stress Assessment

Diary is open for assessments in the Easter holidays. Online or face to face. Pm me to book your slot.

What is visual stress?
Visual Stress, also known as Meares-Irlen syndrome, is a sensitivity to visual patterns. In some individuals the condition can result in visual perceptual problems that can cause interference when reading. The symptoms can occur despite normal vision.

All or some of the following symptoms may be present:

Movement of the printed text
Blurring of print
Letters changing size or shape
Patterns in the print (sometimes described as rivers or worms)
Halos of colour surrounding letters or words
Tiring easily whilst reading
Headaches or visual discomfort
Visual stress can affect all ages, however it is common to associate visual stress with other conditions including:

Dyslexia
Autism
ADHD
Photosensitive migraines or epilepsy
Frustration and low self-esteem can occur in those who experience visual stress therefore early diagnosis is essential.

Message me to discuss an assessment or to ask any questions.

A lovely review sent to me by someone who is not a facebook user - but has given permission to share:

Our son is 10 years old and has struggled with literacy since he has been at school. We have always encouraged him to read at home but it has always been a challenge to get him to focus for any length of time, we put this down to him being an energetic boy who always wanted to be outdoors playing.
Although his reading ability has improved slightly over the years, it became clear to us during lockdown that he was not at the same level as other kids his age. It was also obvious that he was not confident when reading and was not getting any enjoyment from it.
After returning to school his teacher Dianne Ross identified that our son might in fact have a visual stress. She carried out a test using a coloured overlay and his reading improved immediately. As a result his confidence levels soared and since this point he has come on leaps and bounds. His reading ability is perhaps not at the same level as some of his class mates but the change in a short period of time has been significant.

Stephen and Michelle Bremner