Sandra Steele, Educational Consultant

Irlen Method for Scotopic Sensitivity Syndrome

Irlen Blurry View Scotopic Sensitivity Syndrome (SSS) is a visual perceptual disorder, related to light source and contrast sensitivity. For individuals with SSS bright and especially fluorescent lighting appears to disrupt the timing and sequence of information which the brain receives from the eye. SSS can prevent acquisition and/or application of reading skills so that the reading process is inefficient. Comprehension and sustained reading can be diminished.

Scotopic Sensitivity Syndrome is a problem that prevents an estimated 10-12% of the population from learning and reading efficiently. Until now SSS has baffled educators and the scientific community because it remains undetected by standard educational, visual and medical tests.

Irlen Halo View Individuals with SSS perceive the printed page and sometimes their environment differently. They must constantly make adaptations or compensate. Individuals may be unaware of the extra energy and effort they are putting into reading and perceiving.

Individuals with SSS may read slowly, inefficiently, have poor reading comprehension or experience strain or fatigue. SSS can impede attention span, listening, energy level, motivation, work production, and mental health.

Individuals with SSS may be viewed as underachievers or as having behavior, attitude or motivation problems. This condition can coexist with other learning difficulties. Some who have been diagnosed with learning disabilities, dyslexia or attention deficits may also be suffering from Scotopic Sensitivity Sydrome.

What Are The Symptoms?

Light Sensitivity
Bothered by glare, fluorescent lights, sunlight or headlights at night - discomfort or difficulty concentrating while working under bright lights, especially fluorescent lights.

Strain and Fatigue
Reading, or other visual activities, cause strain, tension, fatigue, sleepiness and/or headaches.

Inefficient Reading
Difficulty reading print, numbers or musical notes - perceptual problems may include print that shifts, shakes, blurs, moves, doubles, fades and/or disappears.

Slow Reading Rate
Inability to read letters, numbers, musical notes, or words in groups - this results in difficulty with tracking, correctly identifying words, skimming or speed reading.

Attention Deficit
Problems concentrating while reading or doing school work - difficulty staying on task, becoming restless, fidgety, tired or needing to look away or take breaks.

Poor Depth Perception
Inability to accurately judge distance or spatial relationships - may have difficulty with such things as escalators, stairs, ball sports or driving.

The Irlen Method

The patented Irlen Treatment uses tinted glasses or colored overlays to reduce or eliminate perception difficulties and light sensitivity. A thorough diagnostic assessment determines the most beneficial filter color from and almost limitless number of color combinations.

The Irlen Method has gained increasing support since it's development in 1983 as a result of worldwide research and testing. Research at leading universities has indicated that the difficulties caused by SSS may lie in the brain's inability to accurately process information. These studies indicate that looking through color may alter the timing by which visual information is received and processed, thereby correcting the difficulties. Hundreds of thousands of people worldwide have been helped by the Irlen Method.

Results

Improved reading accuracy
Better comprehension
Increased reading speed
Reduced strain and fatigue
Improved academic performance
Improved self-esteem
Better sports performance

A complete treatment program will require periodic reassessment of the Irlen tint and may need to include remediation or other interventions to correct coexisting reading and learning difficulties.

Fees

Scotopic Sensitivity Screening/Irlen Method $150

*graphics provided from www.irlen.com