Irlen Syndrome, also called Scotopic Sensitivity Syndrome, is a situation characterized by altered vision, in which the letters appear to be moving, vibrating or disappearing, in addition to having difficulty focusing on words, eye pain, sensitivity to light and difficulty in identifying three-dimensional objects.
This syndrome is considered hereditary, that is, it passes from parents to children and diagnosis and treatment are based on the symptoms presented, psychological evaluation and results of the eye examination.
Main symptoms
The symptoms of Irlen's Syndrome usually arise when the person is subjected to various visual or luminous stimuli, being more often in children who start school, for example. However, symptoms can appear at any age as a consequence of exposure to sunlight, car headlights and fluorescent lights, for example, the main ones being:
- Photophobia; Intolerance to the white background of a sheet of paper; Sensation of blurred vision; Sensation that the letters are moving, vibrating, agglomerating or disappearing; Difficulty to distinguish two words and to focus on a group of words. In these cases the person may be able to focus on a group of words, however what is around is blurred; Difficulty in identifying three-dimensional objects; Pain in the eyes; Excessive tiredness; Headache.
Due to the difficulty in identifying three-dimensional objects, people with Irlen's Syndrome have difficulties to perform simple daily activities, such as climbing stairs or playing a sport, for example. In addition, children and adolescents who have the syndrome may have poor performance at school, due to difficulty in seeing, lack of concentration and understanding.
Treatment for Irlen Syndrome
The treatment for Irlen's Syndrome is established after a series of educational, psychological and ophthalmological evaluations, because the symptoms are more frequent at school age and can be identified when the child starts to have learning difficulties and poor performance at school, and may be indicative not only of Irlen's syndrome, but also of other problems of vision, dyslexia or nutritional deficiencies, for example.
After the ophthalmologist's evaluation and confirmation of the diagnosis, the doctor can indicate the best form of treatment, which may vary according to the symptoms. As this syndrome can manifest itself in different ways among people, the treatment can also vary, however some doctors indicate the use of colored filters so that the person does not feel visual discomfort when exposed to brightness and contrasts, improving the quality of life.
Despite this being the most used treatment, the Brazilian Society of Pediatric Ophthalmology states that this type of treatment has no scientifically proven effectiveness and should not be used. Thus, it is indicated that the person with Irlen Syndrome be accompanied by professionals, avoid bright environments and do activities that stimulate vision and concentration. Learn about some activities to improve your child's attention.
