Irlen Syndrome

Getting assessed for your dyspraxia, getting help, disability allowance etc.

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Liz944
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Re: Irlen Syndrome

Post by Liz944 »

Give them ago and see if it helps....

I would get the lenses if they are on offer as once you leave uni the cost to have them done privately is considerably more....
Drama is life with the dull bits cut out...
Lucy_Rush
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Re: Irlen Syndrome

Post by Lucy_Rush »

ah yeah thats a good point. might as well go for the assesment whilst its on offer
Shadwell
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Re: Irlen Syndrome

Post by Shadwell »

if you are looking for tinted lenses for glasses, then you need to see the optition, if in College/Uni, or on one of the viable benefits then you get a free eye-test, and a discount on glasses, explain the problems with reading like black, on white.

there was a small charge like something like £2.50 or something to get the tint added to a pair of glasses, I have given a brief discrpition below, I have only tried 1,2, and 3, so honnestly can't say about 4, and 5. as there was 5 settings of tints when I was getting my glasses tinted in College 10 or so years ago.

if it is to a pair of glasses you already got, then optition's usually say the lenses are scratched (their way of making more money out of you), unless you have fallen, and really notice the scratch, then light scratches shouldn't matter too much. the other thing to watch for though is that the old pair match your perscription, as weaker glasses will make your eyes worse, especially with the tints, as it seems to take some of the strength away from them.

1) this tint is so little, that you will hardly notice any difference.
2) this tint is best if driving at night, and is noticable.
3) this tint is about the same as translucent paper, best if just reading and writing, or driving during daylight, (it is virtually safer to close your eyes, than trying to drive with this tint at night)
4, and 5) I think you might as well get sun glasses unless you need to wear glasses for more strength, or 24/7. (but anything more than no. 2 is not recommended for night time driving)

and as for specific colours, then I am not sure, I think you will have to ask about that. as usually they go by what colour the frames of the glasses are, as to what colour to do the lenses.
Shadwell
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Re: Irlen Syndrome

Post by Shadwell »

I written to the Irlen Syndrome, and they said it is rare to get funding to get tested on nhs, so everybody's best bet is to try getting funding through College/Uni, either that, or you will probably need to pay to go private with it.

but I had a go at their questionaire, and nearly everything I can relate to, so I might show my mother one day, and see how much she can pick up on it.

so if you can't get funding, and you wear glasses, then I would suggest trying to get them tinted, as it did help when I was in College back in 93 - 95.
Lucy_Rush
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Re: Irlen Syndrome

Post by Lucy_Rush »

i have got an apointment to get tested for it, on 2nd december. the guy said i need to set a whole day aside for it. so not sure if he means that it will take all day or if he knows i live in liverpool and the testing is near alderley edge, somewhere manchester way, and i will have to go by train then taxi.

the disabled students allowance will be paying for the test, and the tinting of the lenses. i just have to provide the glasses, with uncoated lenses.

they sent me a big pack of information and questionaire to complete and take when i go for my apointment. still not sure what will hapen or how long it will take, but i booked the appointment about a month ago, so they must be very busy with assessing people cos my date is in december.

like i said - thought i may as well go for the tesing since its my last year in education i expect, i wouldnt be able to afford to be tested outside of the dsa paying for it!
JohanMidas
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Re: Irlen Syndrome

Post by JohanMidas »

I was diagnosed with that along with dyslexia and dyspraxia a few years ago. In some ways it explains a lot but in others it's the most suspect of the three diagnoses.
What makes sense for me is that it explains a preference for reading with less light: less light means lower contrast. The symptoms of Irlen Syndrome are that high contrast images (black on white) tend to produce little multicoloured after-images which dance and sway between the text. I thought this was perfectly normal. The intensity of the after-image tends to vary with time of day and how tired I am. One thing I've found recently is that when driving when it's dark, streetlights and car headlights can be overwhelming, producing star-shaped auras which make it hard to identify duller roadmarkings, and make driving in those conditions very problematic. Rain seems to make the problem worse for me, but I'm not sure. Again that may reflect a general issue with struggling when there is a lot of contrast.

What's suspect for me is the proposed 'solution' of using coloured overlays. The theory seems to be that using certain coloured filters can remove the after-images from the page, and that which colour works can be specific to the individual. I suspect that they do work, but simply by reducing the level of contrast between text and background: i.e. that tailoring colours to individuals doesn't really add anything to their effectiveness. (However it does create a new niche for a medical/learning product, and so this aspect of the story is kept.)

Anyway:
Choose lower contrast backgrounds on computer screens where possible. On powerpoint presentations, I always choose an off-white background rather than a white background, I think for this reason.
See if you can read and work better without much overhead lighting: softer lighting can help. If people say you have a preference for reading in the 'gloom', they may have inadvertently diagnosed you.
The high contrast Kindle Paperwhite will probably be more unpleasant for someone with Irlen Syndrome to use than the cheaper, older, lower contrast Kindle. (So, for someone with Irlen Syndrome the cheaper option will also be the better option!)

Hope that helps.
Moot
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Re: Irlen Syndrome

Post by Moot »

Gosh, all these extra syndromes and things get confusing! Can't they just be labelled as more traits of dyspraxia? Some of these do fit me. When I was tested at uni they gave me some colour overlays to put over white paper, but I haven't used them as i keep forgetting them. But they would be more comfortable to my eyes than white. My eyes are pretty sensitive as it is to sudden movement and light - I find it IMPOSSIBLE not to blink when a flash goes on a camera. (People makes jokes about it, but I really cannot help that.) Would that link with Irlen too?
Hopefully not making too many moot points... heh... *ahem* :D
Mopps
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Re: Irlen Syndrome

Post by Mopps »

A few years ago I was tested for the coloured glasses I just wish I had had them when I started school in 1960 they are just fab and have made such a diffrence to my life. The first words I said to my mother when I came home with them from the optician,were mum the phone books come alive.

Mops
screengreen
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Re: Irlen Syndrome

Post by screengreen »

If you want to do a DIY assessment you can do what I did and buy a full set of reading rulers (I bought mine from the dyslexia shop online) for about £10 and try them out to see which is best for you .... I was formally assessed for the glasses and thats pretty much what they did except with a machine you looked into.... no prizes for guessing my preferred colour.
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