Advice & resources
Dyslexia and eyes
Understanding the difference between dyslexia, visual discomfort and eye health.
Dyslexia and visual difficulties are different
Reading can be difficult because of dyslexia, visual discomfort, an eyesight problem, or more than one difficulty at the same time. These are not interchangeable explanations. Dyslexia is not caused by poor eyesight, and an eye test does not diagnose dyslexia.
The term visual stress, sometimes called Meares–Irlen syndrome, describes discomfort or changes in how print appears when looking at text or patterns. These experiences may occur even when ordinary eyesight seems clear. Visual stress is not the same as dyslexia.
What might someone notice?
People may notice the following experiences when reading:
- Print appearing to move or blur
- Letters seeming to change size or shape
- Patterns appearing between words or lines, sometimes described as rivers
- Coloured halos around letters or words
- Tiring quickly, headaches or discomfort while reading
- Red, sore or watery eyes
These experiences do not, by themselves, establish visual stress or dyslexia. Sore eyes and other visual symptoms can have different causes and should be discussed with an eye-care professional.
Eye health comes first
If you or your child have visual symptoms, arrange an eye examination with an optometrist. Explain what happens during reading, how often it occurs and whether it also happens with other activities. Do not assume that every reading difficulty is dyslexia or visual stress.
Any recommendation for eye exercises, specialist testing or referral should follow an appropriate professional assessment, rather than a reading symptom checklist.
What about coloured overlays and tinted lenses?
A coloured overlay is a transparent coloured sheet placed over a page. Some people report that overlays or tinted lenses make print more comfortable to look at, but evidence for their use in managing visual stress remains mixed. They do not treat or cure dyslexia.
The College of Optometrists advises explaining the limits of the evidence, including the costs and expectations involved. Discuss possible benefits and limitations with an appropriately qualified eye-care professional before paying for an intervention. A preferred colour alone is not a diagnosis.
Support for reading and spelling
If reading or spelling remains difficult, understanding dyslexia may help you consider the next step. Dyslexiam offers child and adult dyslexia assessments, screening and specialist literacy teaching. These are separate from eye-health assessment and medical treatment.
Further reading
Talk things through with Kim
Not sure what this means for you or your child? You can talk things through with Kim before deciding what support might be helpful.
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