Symptoms of Perceptual Dyslexia
Perceptual Dyslexia is a condition that prevents the nervous system from correctly interpreting and decoding visual images and sending them to the brain’s visual cortex. This condition affects sight but is not a visual impairment, perceptual Dyslexics may have perfect 20/20 vision. This may cause a sensitivity to light leading to such symptoms as:
- Blurry text
- Words move about the page
- Words vibrate violently
- Words jiggle and swirl
- The white of the page is uncomfortably bright
It is common that people with this condition will not talk about their symptoms. This can be due to embarrassment or the assumption that these visual anomalies are normal.
Signs to look out for
Treatments for Perceptual Dyslexia are highly effective therefore diagnosis is important to ensure a good quality of life. Signs that a person may have this condition are:
- Reluctance to view text for prolonged periods
- Unusual pencil grip
- Head down on desk while writing
- Very poor grammar
- Margins are ignored
- Sensitivity to light
- Eyestrain
- Sleepiness while reading
- Problems holding attention
- Complaints of headaches
- Nausea
It is often the case that signs of Perceptual Dyslexia will be evident before the child is at school age. Pre-school age signs to keep a watch for include:
- Learning to talk later than peers
- Unable to remember nursery rhymes
- Problems with rhyming
- Attempts at learning numbers or basic spelling and writing unsuccessful
The many problems associated with Perceptual Dyslexia are so many that the child may often avoid writing as much as they can. In order to limit problems later in life it is key that the condition is diagnosed early on.
What if I recognise the signs?
Firstly a screening test must be completed to diagnose the condition, Dyslexia centres can be contacted worldwide to provide this service. It may then be necessary to be treated for Perceptual Dyslexia using the Irlen Method.
Irlen Method
Treatment for Irlen syndrome has been highly effective. The symptoms can be reduced or removed altogether using a variety of techniques known as the Irlen Method. These include changing the colour of the paper using acetate overlays and specially prescribed lenses which have the greatest success rate.
Can my Optometrist give me these lenses?
The Irlen method differs from the form of tinting commonly found being offered by Optometrists and Optical Dispensers. It is recommended that a specialist trained by the Irlen institute be sought to carry out the prescription procedure. If the tint is even slightly incorrect the benefits of the treatment can be dramatically reduced. Since their introduction in 1986, over 80 000 people have been prescribed Irlen lenses.
