Some thoughts on Irlen Syndrome

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Before I post the link for an interesting read, I would like to note that I used to think I had Irlen Syndrome. I wrongfully assumed it to be a valid diagnosis. At the time, I did not know I was autistic, although I did believe I had ADHD. Both ADHD and ASD can explain why one would have trouble being able to read and/or retain that information.

The following is a brief explanation of Irlen Syndrome, it's origins, and it's eventual debunking: http://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/irlen-syndrome/

If you have anything to add about Irlen Syndrome itself, or other supposed syndromes/diseases that have been debunked and/or lack credible evidence, please comment here with your information.

I can only say that my eyeglasses are tinted 10% blue, which I believe diminishes the sensory overload in vision. There is immediate relief when I put them on. I don't think this has anything to do with Irlen. Asking for the tint upsets optometrists to the point that I have to tell them it's for reasons of fashion or they won't do it.

So far, I don't think many people would dismiss tinted glasses being helpful for some with sensory problems. I think the issue becomes when people directly relate it to some mysterious syndrome that actually does not exist.

Thank you for your reply, by the way. If anything, I think people will find autism and the resulting sensory problems are a far more credible reason for dark tinted glasses than this debunked diagnosis.

PS-I tend to read in very dim light due to my sensory problems.

I actually read better if I use orange or amber lenses. I got the full Irlen testing and glasses from the Irlen Institute. I am very unimpressed with their lab and would not recommend Irlen, as such. However, for those who have reading problems like dyslexia, I would recommend trying various tints, different colored lights, etc. After using the glasses for a while, my general reading improved, so I think there was some sort of therapeutic effect - my reading technique probably improved. These days, I just go to a discount optician, pick the stock tint that works the best, and ask them to make is about 30% darkness.

Fixed. As you might expect, autocorrect stung me. I'm using Apple hardware and software. Their spell checker, autocorrection, and vocabulary are not the best. Thanks for pointing out the error.

My problem with the Irlen people is the price they charge. I recommend people buy some colored plastic sheets and try to work it out on their own.

Even though I see strange artifacts when reading they don't affect my reading very much. OTOH, my 3D vision (distance and speed estimations) does seem easier with colored sunglasses (I had testing at an Irlen center long ago, but cheap, generic orange sunglasses are close enough, thank god $$$). I seem to get less disoriented in crowded places, also.

If nothing else, a colored filter will reduce chromatic aberration which literally does sharpen your vision. Whether filters help with sensory stuff remains to be studied, AFAIK.

I'm just glad I came across that link that I shared. When I searched some more, I found everything that was said was true. It really was debunked some time ago.

Apple, I agree. if you think different tints may work for you (maybe you tried "everything else") it makes sense to just buy the sheets. It seems to have an extremely individualized effect, which is expected because there is, so far, no evidence for any common syndrome linking together the people whom it works for. If nothing else, hopefully this may have saved people from getting scammed out of money by the Irlen Institute.

By the way, I use something to help me read on the computer: https://justgetflux.com/

The simple explanation is because the color is contrasting with the blue lighting, it helps filter it out. Blue light tends to feel harsher when you look at it, causing symptoms like eye strain. I'm willing to bet this would happen to most people if they are near florescent lighting or looking at a computer all day.