When Reading Do You:

Find words blurry or moving?
Lose your place?
Experience eye strain or fatigue?
Need to re-read to understand?

TAKE OUR SELF TEST OR CALL US

WELCOME

Welcome to the Irlen Dyslexia Clinic – Ipswich & Surrounding Districts. (NDIS Reg. 4050018380)

Servicing: Ipswich, Logan, Brisbane West, Gold Coast & Hinterland, Darling Downs, Toowoomba, South West & Far West QLD.

The Clinic specialises in assessing children and adults for the visual processing disorder, Irlen Syndrome/Scotopic Sensitivity Syndrome (SSS), also known as Visual Perceptual Dyslexia, or Visual Stress as well as providing in-depth assessments for Phonological Dyslexia.

IRLEN SYNDROME

It is not related to eyesight but instead is related to the vision system. In some people, light interferes with the brain’s ability to process visual information. This is sometimes referred to as “visual perceptual difficulties” or “visual processing difficulties”. Research tells us that around 15% of the general population (and 50% of the reading disabled population) have moderate to severe problems with print movement, and environmental distortions. (See our video). This can often be accompanied issues such as; eyestrain, focusing difficulties, light sensitivity, headaches or migraines, depth perception issues, clumsiness, inefficient reading, poor spelling, reluctance to write, behavioural problems, frustration, low self-esteem, anxiety and work avoidance.

PHONOLOGICAL DYSLEXIA

Phonological dyslexia on the other hand is a language-based disorder. In fact, it is a misnomer that the telltale sign of dyslexia is seeing words backwards. Instead, it is an inability to connect the letters and words they see on the page with their sounds and meanings.

According to the International Dyslexia Association, “Dyslexia is a language-based learning disability. The National Institute of Child Health and Human Development states, “It is characterized by difficulties with accurate and / or fluent word recognition and by poor spelling and decoding abilities. These difficulties typically result from a deficit in the phonological component of language that is often unexpected in relation to other cognitive abilities and the provision of effective classroom instruction. Secondary consequences may include problems in reading comprehension and reduced reading experience that can impede growth of vocabulary and background knowledge.”

It is possible for someone to suffer from both dyslexia and Irlen Syndrome, and proper assessment for both disorders is recommended.

Irlen Syndrome Sample Print Distortions

What is Irlen Syndrome / SSS?

Irlen Syndrome, also known as Meares-Irlen Syndrome, Scotopic Sensitivity Syndrome (SSS) or Visual Stress, is a visual processing dysfunction which affects approximately 10 – 20% of the population, it is not an optical problem but a problem with how the brain processes visual information it receives from the printed page and environment.

Irlen Syndrome / SSS is a light sensitivity condition which cannot be tested or identified through standard psychological, educational, medical or optometric testing, but it may co-exist with optical problems.

Assessments for this brain processing dysfunction can only be carried out by certified Irlen Syndrome Diagnosticians, trained in the Irlen Method. Optometrists are unable to treat this condition.

TAKE OUR SELF TEST

You may like to choose an appropriate Irlen Syndrome / Scotopic Sensitivity Syndrome self-test to determine whether this condition may be contributing to you or someone you know’s perceptual difficulties.

You can complete the self-test online with the option to print once completed.

In completing the self test, If you find three or more indicators are present you should contact the Irlen Dyslexia Clinic – Ipswich & Brisbane West Centre to arrange an assessment.

Download Understanding Irlen Syndrome

SIGNS & SYMPTOMS OF IRLEN SYNDROME

People with Irlen Syndrome/SSS can have difficulty with one or more of the following:

SIGNS & SYMPTOMS OF PHONOLOGICAL DYSLEXIA

Struggles to recognise individual sounds (phonemes) and work with phonemes to create new words
Mixes up the sequence of letters
Unable to remember times tables and number sequences
Reverses numbers
Words and letters are often jumbled in the mind
Often forgets what has just been read
Can’t remember what they have been told
Difficulties with short-term memory or working memory
Learns best through hands on experience
Struggles with short term memory

Testimonials

I was diagnosed at college 2015 with Irlens Syndrome. I found Diane Bevan online and begun to explore my condition. My symptoms Iv had all my life. After consulting with Diane I realised my sons also had Irlens symptoms. One had spots in front of his eyes and the other headaches dirt in his eyes when outside. Irlens is hereditary. Thanks to Diane Bevan I have got help for all of my family with the Irlens lenses. I am severely light sensitive and had MRI tests showing up changes in my grey matter in my brain. I’m referred to a specialist. Without Diane’s help my life was spiralling downhill with hiding from light. Irlens is real without my lenses I would not be able to live any sort of normal life as all the words move on screens. I thank Diane for all of her assistance with Irlens and her caring makes both me and my children’s life better quality.

Our daughter (aged 9) has visual Dyslexia. She had been working so hard with a private tutor for several years when that tutor heard about the Irlen Dyslexia Clinic and referred us. The assessment process was in itself eye-opening! Understanding for the first time how our daughter was seeing (and not seeing) things on a page…realising that her clumsiness was in fact her limited peripheral vision…learning that years of her reporting feeling sick in the stomach at school could be linked directly to fluorescent lighting in her classroom. Then watching our daughter write between the lines on green paper and reading with improved fluency with a coloured overlay was truly amazing. It is only early days for us with the new Irlen lenses, but our daughter and her teachers are reporting immediate improvement. Even after the assessment the Irlen Dyslexia Clinic has supported us with any question that has arisen in our new “Irlen lenses world”. We can highly recommend Dianne and her clinic!

Thanks so much to Dianne she was very patient when choosing the right colours. Since my daughter Ally has started wearing her Irlen lenses, her learning has 100% improved, before them she could hardly even read a sentence, now she flys through books. It has also helped with her depth perception she now very rarely falls over or walks into things.

I was suffering 2-3 migraines a week when I found out about Irlen Syndrome. After trying countless medications to control the pain I felt I didn’t have much to loose so I went for assessment at the IRLEN Clinic Ipswich. After 3 appointments I had been fitted for custom tinted lenses to wear. Once they arrived I had immediate relief. It’s now been 2 months and my migraines have decreased 90% and I can read and focus better.

Dianne diagnosed me with severe Irlen Syndrome when I was in grade 11. On my second visit Dianne patiently went through the rigorous process of helping me choose the correct Irlen lenses which took some hours and 4 overlays. Dianne was absolutely fastidious in ensuring that by the end of the session I could read every single detail on different examples down to a small musical symbol – I had never been able to read a book, music notation or maths figures on the page as they constantly blurred and jumped around. My eyes no longer get constantly tired which was cutting down my ability to study for any length of time. I was taken aback by what a difference Irlen lenses could make. Having had them now for a long period of time, I am still amazed by how they have changed my outlook on my academic learning skills. I am grateful to Dianne for her patience and knowledge.

I would like to thank you for your patience and due diligence in getting my lens’ correct. The time taken does is not reflective of the cost. As it had been a while for lens change for me it took two sessions at no extra cost to get this correct and finalised. The second session was confirming which was the better colour prior to purchasing. I appreciate the time and effort you make to ensure the customer has suitable ‘eyes’ when leaving.