“When I looked at the world through my rose tinted spectacles my whole body was at peace”

In 2013 I was at University in Bath England and struggling to cope with the increasing demands of the PGCE course I had begun. Reading was difficult, unpleasant (despite my love of reading) my eyes felt as if they were on fire as I tried to read academic articles online, and standing in front of the projector to the Interactive Whiteboard left me exhausted and with constant migraine headaches! I was referred to the disability support team in Bath Spa University Newton St Loe campus.

I had a prescreen for visual distress, at the end of which I was referred to an Irlen Specialist as it was suspected that I was suffering from something called, Irlen Syndrome!

Firstly I didn’t have a clue what it was and having lived my whole life with these symptoms of visual distress part of me said to myself, ‘Oh well that’s just normal, I just get on with it’. The point was I  could no longer, ‘get on with it!’ So I agreed with the referral and in June of that year I was diagnosed with having Irlen syndrome.

At least I could finally understand that there was a reason for the distress, severe irritation which led to behavioural problems when I was young, whilst trying to access education in an environment which added to my visual distress.

On top of all this I was constantly teased for my clumsiness and was even accused of being drunk, as I often walked at an angle and bumped into others on the street because of the visual difficulties I was experiencing.

I remember when the Irlen Specialist first put the rose tinted spectacles on me, it was as if my whole body was at peace, and I realised how differently I see the world compared to most people. I now experience less migraines I’m not as clumsy, the burning sensation in my eyes is massively reduced and I can now read online for longer periods! Ahh!

About Irlen Syndrome

Irlen Syndrome is a specific type of perceptual problem that affects the way the brain processes visual information. It is not an optical problem.

For those with Irlen Syndrome, the brain is unable to process full spectral light. This results in:

• a range of distortions in the environment.
• a range of distortions on the printed page.
• physical and behavioural symptoms.

It is exacerbated by environmental factors such as lighting, brightness, glare, high contrast, patterns and colours. Irlen Syndrome affects people of all ages. (Irlen Method 2012, online: IrlenUk.com, accessed: 12th November 2020)

To learn more about Irlen Syndrome visit: IrlenUK.com