IRLEN SYNDROME

Gage Matheny, age 10, tests out colored lenses designed to help those with Irlen Syndrome during a screening.

How this disorder impacts sight

STORY BY EMILY REED | PHOTOS CONTRIBUTED

Those suffering light sensitivity, reading issues, headaches or migraines, attention and concentration problems or problems with depth perception may be at risk for Irlen Syndrome. While not a commonly recognized or well-known problem, Irlen Syndrome affects roughly 14 percent of the general population.

“Is it more prevalent than asthma and heart disease,” said certified Irlen screener

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Kelley Matheny. Matheny presented details about the syndrome at a Clanton Lions Club meeting last year.

“Thirty-five percent of those suffering from concussions or traumatic brain injuries develop Irlen Syndrome,” Matheny said. The syndrome is a perceptual processing disorder, and is not considered an optical problem, according to The Irlen Institute.

“It is a problem with the

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brain’s ability to process visual information,” the The Irlen Institute website states. “This problem tends to run in families and is not currently identified by other standardized educational or medical tests.”

Matheny spends time raising awareness for the syndrome, which runs in her family.

Her husband Michael and two children, Riley and Gage, have Irlen Syndrome, and Matheny said finding the syndrome and correcting it with colored lenses has been a life-changing thing for her family.

For those wishing to find out more about the syndrome and if their symptoms could be part of the diagnosis, a self-test is available on irlen.com.

Those taking the self-test would have their answers forwarded to Matheny, or other certified screeners, who could then review the responses and determine whether a screening is necessary.

Individuals can then be screened for the syndrome by a certified screener.

“If the person has Irlen Syndrome, they are given a specific-to-them colored overlay to use while reading,” Matheny said. “Overlays are very helpful, but as reading takes place in only a small portion of the day, the person with Irlen Syndrome is left to suffer the effects of Irlen Syndrome for the rest of the day.”

Matheny said the next step is Stage Two, which is where individuals are evaluated for lenses, which is a very precise process, involving the different frequencies of color that are mixed until the exact combination for a person is found.

“Lenses correct the frequencies of light that the individual cannot process which, in turn, corrects the ‘side effects’ of Irlen Syndrome for the entire day,” Matheny said. “These glasses are worn from the time you get up until the time you go to bed. A visual prescription can be added and contacts are also available.”

According to the Irlen Syndrome website, many individuals go undiagnosed, but about 50 percent of those with the syndrome have reading and learning difficulties, and 30 percent of individuals can have ADHD or autism.

Other issues can involve brain injuries, chronic headaches and migraines.

An awareness week is celebrated in October and those choosing to recognize the syndrome can turn out their fluorescent lights at school, work or home for one minute on Oct. 15 at 10 a.m. to show support and recognition of the syndrome.

For anyone wishing to be screened or additional information can contact Matheny at 334-300-4511 or kelleymatheny@gmail.com.

Additional information about the syndrome can be found at www.irlen.com.