Talk:Irlen syndrome

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A fact from Irlen syndrome appeared on Wikipedia's Main Page in the Did you know column on 15 February 2005. The text of the entry was as follows:

Did you know... that scotopic sensitivity syndrome is a form of dyslexia which makes it very difficult for a person to read black text on white paper?

A record of the entry may be seen at Wikipedia:Recent additions/2005/February.

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A hole nearly as big as the article

So what are the symptoms of this disorder?

visual distortions some individuals reported when reading from white paper

That's all that I could find.

The article consists essentially exclusively of metadata -- who, when, where, but not what; treatment, controversy -- but the core description of the condition (or proposed condition) is missing.

178.39.220.198 (talk) 14:32, 6 July 2018 (UTC)[reply]

Symptoms of Irlen Syndrome

Some links to images showing the effects of irlen syndrome:

https://www.google.com/search?q=gif+of+irlen+syndrome+effects&client=firefox-b-ab&tbm=isch&source=iu&ictx=1&fir=LMqRYdXfsJ3Z6M%252CNmqLSOxNAlhSNM%252C_&vet=1&usg=AI4_-kT9oKrwIHwv-7sA-ft5yZ-sLp-Xtw&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwj8vrr3ppHsAhVW7HMBHaPPCF4Q9QF6BAgOEAY&biw=1366&bih=659#imgrc=LMqRYdXfsJ3Z6M

https://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hale.ndo.co.uk%2Fimages%2Ftextpage_grey.gif&imgrefurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hale.ndo.co.uk%2Fscotopic%2F&tbnid=pYMbKk56Byv2-M&vet=12ahUKEwjR2dGgp5HsAhXj0XMBHa_TABAQMygAegUIARCjAQ..i&docid=Pdej1WFpbc2TpM&w=400&h=400&q=gif%20of%20irlen%20syndrome%20effects&client=firefox-b-ab&ved=2ahUKEwjR2dGgp5HsAhXj0XMBHa_TABAQMygAegUIARCjAQ

https://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http%3A%2F%2Fneuronresearch.net%2Fvision%2Fclinical%2FIrlentestswirl.gif&imgrefurl=https%3A%2F%2Fneuronresearch.net%2Fvision%2Fclinical%2Firlensyndrome.htm&tbnid=-HyvaCkPRRI6CM&vet=12ahUKEwjR2dGgp5HsAhXj0XMBHa_TABAQMygBegUIARClAQ..i&docid=_17N8UsLN-5PSM&w=800&h=199&q=gif%20of%20irlen%20syndrome%20effects&client=firefox-b-ab&ved=2ahUKEwjR2dGgp5HsAhXj0XMBHa_TABAQMygBegUIARClAQ

List of symptoms from the irlen site Light Sensitivity:

   Bothered by glare, fluorescent lights, bright lights, sunlight and sometimes lights at night
   Some individuals experience physical symptoms and feel tired, sleepy, dizzy, anxious, or irritable. Others experience headaches, mood changes, restlessness or have difficulty staying focused, especially with bright or fluorescent lights.

Reading Problems:

   Poor comprehension
   Misreads words
   Problems tracking from line to line
   Reads in dim light
   Skips words or lines
   Reads slowly or hesitantly
   Takes breaks
   Loses place
   Avoids reading

Discomfort:

   Strain and fatigue
   Tired or sleepy
   Headaches or nausea
   Fidgety or restless
   Eyes that hurt or become watery

There are a variety of symptoms that can be caused by sensitivity to light including eye strain, fatigue, sleepiness, nausea, dizziness, anxiety, irritability, and discomfort. Lights may also be a trigger for headaches and migraines.

Attention and Concentration Problems:

   Problems with concentration when reading and doing academic tasks
   Often people can appear to have other conditions, such as attention deficit disorder, and are given medication unnecessarily.

Writing Problems:

   Trouble copying
   Unequal spacing
   Unequal letter size
   Writing up or downhill
   Inconsistent spelling

Other Characteristics:

   Strain or fatigue from computer use
   Difficulty reading music
   Sloppy, careless math errors
   Misaligned numbers in columns
   Ineffective use of study time
   Lack of motivation
   Grades do not reflect the amount of effort

Depth Perception:

   Clumsiness
   Difficulty catching balls
   Difficulty judging distances
   Additional caution necessary while driving

Distortions:

   Words on the page lack clarity or stability; i.e., may appear to be blurry, moving, or disappear  — Preceding unsigned comment added by 1.124.104.251 (talk) 16:38, 30 September 2020 (UTC)[reply]

Irlen

Has been completely debunked. Placebo effect and self fulfilling prophecy. Shame on Wikipedia for allowing this. 70.48.141.235 (talk) 18:52, 28 January 2024 (UTC)[reply]

More recent systematic reviews of research than what is quoted in this article shows placebo effect and no particular evidence of effectiveness of treatments https://doi.org/10.1590/0004-282X20190014

This wiki article reads more like a persuasive piece to convince readers of the irlen method.

Other research debunks the core method for how irlen syndrome is diagnosed and the efficacy of coloured overlays

https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2011-0314 86.133.190.94 (talk) 07:13, 9 February 2024 (UTC)[reply]

Yeah, this article has been nobbled. Will address. Bon courage (talk) 07:18, 9 February 2024 (UTC)[reply]

I was officially diagnosed with Irlen Syndrome back in around 1997/1998. The diagnosis came after I noticed that I could see significantly better, and thus read better, when surrounded by blue light. I mentioned this to my science teacher, and she researched and recommended a place for me to get tested. My brother also got tested at the same time, and the verdict was that I very clearly had it, while my brother did not.

I also found out that I had a cousin that I didn't know about: The optometrist commented that my ideal colour was quite rare, yet he had recently diagnosed a lady with the same last name and a very similar colour.

So TL;DR: I got the diagnosis after observing the symptoms, not the other way around.

My point is that it is definitely real, and the coloured lenses do help. I also use a variety of plug-ins and have set the theme appropriately on my computers and phones.

However. It doesn't surprise me that the whole thing has not stood up to scrutiny. Their website, for example, casts such a wide net that it will easily capture a large percentage of people who have other problems but not Irlen Syndrome. So studies that try to reproduce the claims based on that information are going to struggle to be testing the right people before they've even started. And that's before we even get into the behaviour of the symptoms vs testing methods.

I'm not sure how I can contribute. I have the syndrome, and have my coping mechanisms. But I don't feel like an authority on the topic. I'm happy to answer questions and banter if it is helpful. JungleRunner (talk) 12:35, 13 March 2024 (UTC)[reply]

WP:NOTFORUM. Bon courage (talk) 12:38, 13 March 2024 (UTC)[reply]

Apologies, I see what you mean.

If there's one take-away I'd like to make clear: Please don't write off the Irlen method as invalid, or "debunked". It does work, but they've used such a wide brush that I can't imagine that it will ever stand up to scrutiny until they get more focussed in their discussion, and diagnosing of it.

Meanwhile, those of us who have it, can't rely on Wikipedia when people want to read more, because it's essentially a turf war. JungleRunner (talk) 13:11, 13 March 2024 (UTC)[reply]

@70.48.141.235 I was told today someone was diagnosed in the NHS last year. If its completely debunked then surely Drs won't use the terms? 2A0A:EF40:1024:4901:C157:A265:A0B4:CC26 (talk) 20:15, 13 March 2024 (UTC)[reply]

It's not fake or a placebo, I know this is just a subjective experience so you're just going to disregard it but I have all the symptoms and I had them long before I knew about irlen syndrome at 14.

When I was first learning to read at four I would put books in clear colourful folders or hold cellophane to text saying it "stopped words moving".

I am super used to people debating the existence of things I know first hand to be real with my FND but I'll he honest this is the first time I've had anyone doubt my Irlens. Hm7733 (talk) 02:55, 25 August 2024 (UTC)[reply]

Irlen syndrome is real

This article is just wrong, it's a very real condition which I have. I was diagnosed by the NHS over a decade ago, I have all symptoms and tinted glasses do help. Hm7733 (talk) 02:43, 25 August 2024 (UTC)[reply]