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What is Meares-Irlen Syndrome? It is a visual perceptual dysfunction affecting mainly reading and writing based activities. A person will experience difficulty with general reading, writing and behavioural characteristics of which some might be similar to the learning difficulties that people with dyslexia, dysgraphia, dyscalculia, attention deficit disorder and/or hyperactivity experience.
The syndrome is often confused with dyslexia, but Ms. Irlen argues that it is really a separate "layer" to the problem. For our purposes we will only concentrate on reading difficulties in this document. With Meares-Irlen Syndrome, the reading of the person is hampered by distortions of print, which become less when the text has a particular colour. This, however, differs from individual to individual.
Background
Helen Irlen, a Californian psychologist, aims to treat a syndrome that she has named "Scotopic Sensitivity Syndrome". Ms. Irlen theorises that the retinal receptors may be over-stimulated by specific wavelengths of light, causing distortions and that a coloured lens can block out the troublesome wavelengths. Helen Irlen has established Irlen Centres in many western countries where the required colour for any individual can be diagnosed, and individually dyed coloured lenses can be issued.
Olive Meares, a teacher from New Zealand, also contributed when she described the difficulty certain children have with glare from the page and the way in which this glare can be reduced by coloured filters placed over the page. For her contribution, it might therefore be more appropriate to call this syndrome the Meares-Irlen Syndrome. Professor Wilkins at the University of Essex, United Kingdom, has also conducted studies; firstly with members of the Irlen Institute and later, independently. The distortion of spatial perception is not well understood and there is no scientific reason to accept as fact that the distortions might be reduced with colour. The claims that colour could reduce spatial distortions in text and the fact that each individual benefits from a different colour might not be scientifically proven, but that does not mean that the treatment does not work. Many successful medical treatments are based on observation or experimentation and not on scientific theory.
Ms. Parsons, an American teacher (herself using a coloured overlay) once observed: "We have to do what works. If it works for a little while, then we're a little while ahead of where we started."
The introduction of coloured overlays is not a "cure" for learning disabilities, attention deficit or visual-perceptual problems, but can, in many cases, lead the person to feel more comfortable when reading, while underlying skills, speed and fluency, and comprehension are improved.
Reading problems that a person with Meares-Irlen Syndrome may encounter:
Meares-Irlen Syndrome, in itself, is not considered a specific learning disability, but it is recognised in most countries as a basis for learning difficulties and frustration. Certain individuals have difficulty with the glare from the page and the way in which this glare can be reduced by coloured filters placed over the page. These people find reading black lettering on white paper very difficult. The white seems to distract their attention from the black, making reading a very difficult task. Such readers mostly prefer grey, or some other colour of paper to white. People with this syndrome generally encounter the following problems, but they may differ from person to person:
- words appear to "move", "jumble" or "fall off the page"
- the page appears too bright or the words are too close together
- they may skip words or lines when reading
- they may develop "eyestrain" or headaches after reading
- they may have difficulty looking at a computer screen
- they cannot read continuously
- they only read in dim lighting
- their reading is hesitant and slow
- their reading deteriorates
- they misread words
Available Aids:
1. Because each individual with Meares-Irlen Syndrome is different, the use of the Intuitive Colorimeter can establish which colour is suitable to make the distortions disappear, to make the text stable, and to make it comfortable to see. This device makes it possible for an individual to see a page of text lit uniformly with light of a particular colour. One control can change the colour, another can change the depth of the colour and a third control changes the brightness.
2. Results with experiments and tests with the use of Irlen-Filters (coloured lenses) have shown improvement in reading, a reduction in headaches, an increase in sustained attention, improved self-confidence, and improved academic performance. These filters are spectrally modified filters that are beneficial to poor readers, and that may reduce the symptoms of people experiencing eyestrain such as headache and red or watery eyes. Different colour combinations and an intensive diagnostic interview can determine the most suitable filter for each individual. The filters do not teach someone to read but may help in rectifying a particular situation, which prevented reading to progress. The effects of colour depend critically on typography – colour has its greatest benefit with text that is closely spread and small. The effects on reading speed with conventional texts take time to appear and do so only when the reader begins to tire.
3. Coloured plastic can be placed upon a page to colour the text beneath without interfering with its clarity. Coloured overlays can be used rather than lenses. Some studies by investigators associated with Irlen Centres have shown improvements in reading in selected individuals. In some, the reading slowed down when reading without coloured overlays and they complained of eyestrain. Others did not show any benefit from the use of the overlays. A high proportion did, however, report improvements in the appearance of the text when using an overlay.
Readers are Leaders and Meares-Irlen Syndrome:
It cannot be said for certain whether our programme is suitable for or will improve reading in children affected by Meares-Irlen Syndrome. Although the Passage and Comprehension Exercise in the programme do have the facility of changing the background colours, some exercises, e.g. Word Recognition, etc. do not. Our program also does not have the facility to change the brightness or depth of the choice of colours. However, there might just be an existing background colour in our program that could be beneficial in reading the passages and answering the comprehension questions.
The use of coloured paper where overlays cannot be used (written work, classroom tests and quizzes) does indicate that our colours might be of value to some children affected by the syndrome. Printing on coloured paper can help, apparently by reducing the contrast between the black print and the white paper. In tests, it has been found that different colours improved the visual image for different individuals, while some colours made the distortions appear worse. The use of coloured paper helped some people in writing, but the optimum effect was obviously to be obtained by having the coloured filter interposed between the eye and the page at a place closer to the eye than to the page. In this way, improvement might be obtained while writing, and during reading. At present, there are some 150 colours being used in the Coloured Overlays and tinted glasses and the correct tint is usually critical.
It is mentioned in the Irlen documents that learners may benefit from other material as well (in addition to the Irlen Method) where they can visually read presented information, in the presence of overlays or colour, for heightened comprehension.
Our programme does have the advantage of an eye-exercise where attention is directed to broadening the span of focus of the reader to enable the eye to take in as much of the print in one fixation as possible. Poor readers are known to make too many fixations and regressive eye movements.
Recommendation:
It is recommended that prospective clients have their children assessed at the relevant centres and have refractive or corrective lenses prescribed. It is also very important that a learner completes any necessary vision testing with an appropriate specialist. Regarding our programme specifically, the learner will need to do quite a few exercises in different colours to establish if they are able to read a passage without distortions. The degree of effort a learner requires for any level of success, needs to be carefully observed because success is indicated by the speed with which he/she exhibits eye strain symptoms. If it is found that distortions do diminish or disappear, then obviously, the learner will benefit tremendously by using the programme.
The use of computers:
Your attention is also drawn to the use of the computerised version of the Wilkins
Rate of Reading Test. This test assesses the accuracy and fluency of reading; firstly against a white background and then through a colour screening routine, which determines the optimum colour of the background by presenting a sequence of colours for comparison with a grey of the same brightness. The test is repeated with a background of the chosen colour to determine if the use of colour improves the accuracy and fluency of reading.
Symon Hamer's Shareware software called "Tinter" also allows computer users to select the colour of the foreground and the background of monitors - this, however, is only compatible with Windows 95 and 3.1 and not with more recent Windows operating systems.
The "Tinter" allows for more subtle adjustment of shading than is normally possible and enables the user to see the effect of the adjustment when applications are in use. The colour optimal for computer use is likely to differ from that optimal in overlays (which provide a surface colour) and in lenses (which provide for a change similar to a change in the colour of lighting). Computer displays are usually self-luminous and can resemble a surface of a light source, depending on lighting conditions.
List of Resources:
http://www,essex.ac.uk/psychology
http://www.opticalsupplies.co.za