Learn to spot co-occurring conditions with dyslexia like Irlen Syndrome. Dyslexia is not Irlen Syndrome, but they sometimes get mixed up. Discover a roadmap to help individuals with Irlen Syndrome find relief and build reading stamina with what is sometimes called dyslexia glasses.
One of the most life-changing aspects of our journey involved discovering Irlen Syndrome. This condition is co-morbid with dyslexia in about 30% of cases. It is not an optical problem that a standard eye exam will catch; rather, it is a brain-based issue involving how the brain processes visual information and light.
When we were looking for dyslexia help, we took Alex for an evaluation of Irlen Syndrome. Alex described the letters on the page as symbols or lines that seemed to move. She felt constant eye strain and fatigue. It was during this evaluation for Irlen Syndrome that we discovered what we call dyslexia glasses for individuals who have Irlen Syndrome.
The process of finding the right dyslexia glasses was actually quite fun. They tested various colored overlays and frames. There were a lot of nuances. Alex found that while yellow-based lenses worked well when close to her face (like glasses), a gray overlay worked better on top of the printed material.
On the other hand, red lenses were overwhelming and made the letters bounce all over the place. This is why a professional evaluation is so important for Irlen Syndrome, you can’t just pick any color and expect it to work.
Since getting her dyslexia glasses, Alex’s reading stamina has improved noticeably. Before understanding that she has Irlen Syndrome, and could benefit from dyslexia glasses, prolonged reading was just too tiring. With the help of her dyslexia glasses, she went from being able to read for only 10 minutes to being able to read for almost an hour. This didn’t happen overnight. Like a muscle, Alex needed to build up her reading stamina.
For individuals with Irlen Syndrome, dyslexia glasses act like a reset button for the brain. While dyslexia glasses might not make someone a faster reader, they help the individual develop the stamina needed to get through a chapter without becoming completely exhausted.
Alex still uses her dyslexia glasses to this day. If your child struggles with light sensitivity, headaches while reading, or is unable to read for more than 10-15 minutes perhaps it’s worth investigating if they have Irlen Syndrome and if dyslexia glasses or colored overlays could be a missing piece. You can find out more with this link: Irlen Syndrome
If your child is struggling to read, write, or spell, and you would like to explore Orton Gillingham tutoring services, reach out to contact The Literacy Keys
Another fascinating condition that can co-occur with dyslexia is synesthesia. This occurs when the brain’s senses co-mingle.
In Alex’s case, she associates time and numbers with specific colors. For example, she sees February as dark green, January as a purplish blue, and the number five as yellow.
While this might sound like “just Alex,” it actually helped her recall definitions and categories of words. However, it created a lot of frustration in elementary school math. Her teachers would get quite upset when she didn’t show her work. Alex would get the right answer but rarely showed how she got the answer. To Alex, the answer was just a result of these color associations, and she found the requirement to write out the steps to be a waste of time. Her teachers wanted to ensure that Alex knew the steps which they couldn’t do without seeing the work.
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