How To Alleviate Visual Stress

There are many symptoms of visual stress. Some sufferers are not aware of the problem. They think it is the same for everyone. Sufferers may experience over sensitivity to bright light, distortions or blurring of the printed text, or visual discomfort when reading, especially after reading for a time.

Most people with any or all of the above problems will benefit from using a coloured overlay when reading text printed on white paper, and changing the background colour on computer screens to reduce the distortions and light sensitivity they experience and enable them to read more efficiently. A sceening can identify the best coloured overlay for a particular individual.

It is not always possible to completely eliminate all visual-perceptual distortions under all lighting conditions. Therefore, even when using overlay/s sufferers will need to be mindful of the following recommendations.

Lighting: You should avoid fluorescent lighting if at all possible. I suggest you monitor your reactions to different types and levels of lighting. Notice if some lighting makes you feel more comfortable or less tired than others. Can you concentrate for longer periods of time under certain levels/types of lighting? Does some lighting make your eyes feel worse or make you more fidgety? Do you need to re-read more or do you give up earlier?

Paper Colour: You should use a coloured or an off white paper for all your writing; recycled paper perhaps? The choice of colour is, of course, a personal one, but you should use the colour that is easiest and most comfortable for writing and reading under your particular working/lighting conditions. This may or may not be similar to your chosen overlay/s.

White Board and Power Point Screens: Ask your tutors/employer to work with a coloured background; this will make reading easier at this distance and more comfortable for you. While the colour of the background should not be dictated by one member of a group, it is likely that most students/employees will find a colour preferable to white. Pale blue, green, turquoise or lilac are colours that are commonly found to be comfortable. Alternatively, asking for photocopies of the presentation would remove the need to read at this distance.

Computer screens: I suggest that you check the colour of background that you find the most comfortable on your computer. If you are using Microsoft Word, it is easy to alter the background by going into Page Layout - Page colour. With older versions of Microsoft Word, go into Format- Background-More Colours.

Should you find the flicker on your computer monitor annoying and distracting, I suggest that you alter the refresh rate. If, in spite of these recommendations, you still experience difficulties at the computer screen you should try placing your overlay over the screen; use Blutack for this rather than sticky tape.

Font, Style, Size and Colour: I suggest that you experiment with the font, style, size and colour of the font that you use when writing at the computer. Many people find a coloured font easier to read than a black font, they also find that a font without serifs, such as Verdana, Tahoma, Trebuchet or Ariel, is easier to read than ones with Serifs, for example, Times New Roman.

Bookstand: The angle at which reading is positioned can affect the ease of reading. You may like to use a book stand for all your reading material. A copy stand with a line guide is helpful if you are copying from a book or paper.

Highlighters: Should you wish to use highlighters, you should be careful to choose the colour that will not cause you visual discomfort. It is possible that some highlighters may be less comfortable to look at than others.

Examinations

Overlay

For examinations, you may use an overlay. No evidence is required for this arrangement and there is no requirement for it to be requested using access arrangements online.

Coloured exam papers

Your tutor / teacher can request that examination papers be copied onto coloured paper. This needs to be requested using access arrangements online.

Tinted lenses

The colour needed is quite likely to be different from the colour recommended for an overlay.

Disability Discrimination Act

An employment tribunal has judged Irlen® Syndrome to be a disability within the meaning of section 1 of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995: Ref S/1000909/02.