Those who find Irlen overlays helpful...

Post Reply New Topic

...do you find the Irlen lenses helpful also? I have my overlays blutacked over my laptop screen because they help me work so much. (I tried changing the screen colours but I didn't like the effect so much.) Are the lenses worth the money? I have the opportunity to apply to have some bought for me through Disabled Students Allowance, but I feel a bit guilty about asking for them as I know not everyone believes that they work.

I love my tinted lenses.

I didn't get them through the Irlen center. I couldn't afford that. I went through and did a testing process to find what felt like the optimal color, by dying plastic over and over again, and looking through the plastic, until I found the color I wanted them made. This is probably not an option for everyone.

But for me, my tinted lenses help more than my overlays. I just have to deal with them needing cleaned frequently which is a pain.

Reading isn't actually what I use mine for much at all. I don't actually really have the reading problems because of the style of reading I do, i can understand how they come up though, because you can replicate those problems in me.

I have problems with visual distortions, especially at where a light color and a dark color meet, halos around thing. They are almost entirely gone in me when I'm wearing my tinted lenses.

I would agree that the environment feels more fitting together with my lenses on. I still see all the details, but it feels more like it fits together properly. It makes me less likely to dissociate I suspect. However, this isn't really anything different for what I notice, just "the world feels more like it fits together"

Eye contact, absolutely no change for me.

The depth perception changes feel associated with the world fitting together better changes. They feel very mild. I still have really bad depth perception. But I've worked out other coping skills for depth perception.

I have problems with visual overload and getting headaches, even migraines, from lights. They've been huge in this. My ability to function around florescent lights has spiked (to still below where normal people are but compared to where I was much better). While I still am not safe walking at night alone because of headlights, I can do multi-mile walks at night if I have other coping skills for the rest of what's going on, rather than getting migraines from it.

I sometimes have visual snow, the frequency has dropped, but it is stranger when it occurs.

My ability to process visual input and other sensory input at the same time is much much better.

That all sounds very helpful. I think I will ask if I can get funding for the glasses and see what they say. I get the visual snow and a whole host of other weird distortions and I have had an MRI scan and just about every eye test you can think of to look for a cause but they found nothing. It would be really good if the lenses helped with this.

Is there any difference besides the color tint, such as anti glare or additional filtering?

I had the first exam. I've found the overlay for computer use and only wearing my prescription sunglasses which are similar in shade to the overlays has nearly eliminated my constant migraines. I am wondering if the cost and time is worthwhile if I am feeling ok with just the sunglasses. I will probably get them at least once anyway but I appreciate your opinions.