Dyslexia and Me: The Blue Screen and Irlen Lenses

I have discussed many times already the problems I have with my vision. I suffer from migraines when I am in an environment with fluorescent lights and when I have to read a lot. I have been told this is linked to Scotopic Sensitivity Syndrome or Irlen Syndrome but have been told by specialists that Irlen Lenses would be of no help to me.

I actually find it worrying that when I mention this topic at all while looking for alternatives to help me and others like me just how aggressive people get in trying to push Irlen Lenses on me. So before I go any further, this is where I will place semi ‘warning’. Before anyone responds to this post please read ALL that is said on the reasons WHY I’ve been told they would be of no benefit to me.

Let me start from the very beginning and get to where I am now in regards to my vision. Hopefully someone will have another idea on where to go next that isn’t Irlen Lenses. 

Dyslexia and Me: Busy Bee Vision

Honeycomb Lenses

I have previously discussed the new glasses I received from my optician with prisms put into them. They really haven’t made any difference to my vision despite it seeming very different when I was in the optician’s chair. I am very open to trying a variety of lenses to see if I can find a solution to my visual problems.

I was talking to a lovely optician called Robert Longhurst on one of the Facebook dyslexia groups about visual dyslexia. He asked me if I had tried honeycomb lenses to reduce my migraines. I had never even heard of honeycomb lenses before!!!

We discussed the options my optician had given me with the prisms, the educational psychologist and learning support people ruling our Irlen lenses and other options that people have suggested to me in the past. Robert was very nice and sent me some honeycomb lenses to try out and I jumped at the opportunity of trying something new. 

The Letters on the Page

In the light of day
I see the shadows move.
They encircle and dance
And twist their way through
The letters on the page.

The words start to party
As the disco lights begin.
Flashing all the colours
So they don’t blend or fit in
With the letters on the page. 

Dyslexia Awareness Month: Poll Number One

I’m interesting in finding out a few bits and pieces which I will post on the last day of Dyslexia Awareness Month, so here is the first poll related to vision:

Dyslexia and Me: I is for I, Myself and Me

I am now vainly writing about myself for #blogging4charity. Well, to be fair, the whole blog is based on my experiences with dyslexia, so perhaps the entire blog is vanity! Who knows why I assumed people would be interested in reading about my life!

I started this blog earlier this year in hope to raise awareness of both dyslexia and scotopic sensitivity syndrome. It has been a very interesting journey so far and I have learnt a lot! There were many topics I decided to approach wondering if it really was something linked to dyslexia, or if it was just me! My blog on ‘Socialising‘ instantly springs to mind. I’ve also enjoyed sharing my moments of absolute joy, such as getting a first for my dissertation and graduating from university as well as the struggles I’ve had over the years. It’s almost like therapy! 

Dyslexia and Me: Specs Appeal

Specs Appeal: My old glasses

Now that I have finished university and have started looking for work, it’s time for me to look more professional and ditch my cap. This is a lot harder than it seems. It’s not a fashion statement, but it shields my eyes from harsh light both outside and inside. So today I went to an optician who specialises with dyslexia. 

Dyslexia and Me: Beyond Words

Source: http://www.learningshop.com

I’ll tell you what, it’s bloody hard work trying to bring people together! It’s beyond words!

Dyslexia and Me: Scotopic Sensitivity Syndrome/Irlen Syndrome Awareness Day?

A ribbon of my own design. The blue signifies dyslexia awareness while black and white are shades that I find especially difficult to look at. The coloured dots are my ‘pixel vision’

There are a number of events throughout the year raising awareness for dyslexia. The recent ‘guerilla’ campaign by Decoding Dyslexia to raise awareness through the tag #ShowMe1in5 through social media seems to have been pretty successful (there are still people sharing the links on Twitter a I write this blog). Also Dyslexia Advocacy Week has just passed where I shared a video per day featuring a variety of dyslexic people talking about their experiences and their progression and success. However, I want my blog to cover not only dyslexia, but also Scotopic Sensitivity Syndrome aka Irlen Syndrome. Having searched on Google (as you do) I have been unable to find a specific day or week dedicated to raising awareness on this specific learning difficulty that has links to dyslexia. So for this reason, I have decided to set aside this weeks blog to discuss Scotopic Sensitivity Syndrome in hope to raise awareness of what it is!

While 1 in 5 may have dyslexia, it has been suggested that 1 in 7 or as many as 1 in 6 of the population are affected by Scotopic Sensitivity Syndrome. So here are some facts and issues linked to Scotopic Sensitivity Syndrome to hopefully give you a better understanding of this specific learning difficulty.

Dyslexia and Me: Get Some Hattitude!

I’ve always been a hat wearer. I absolutely love hats! While the stereotype of women is shoes and handbags, for me it’s hats. I have a couple of caps, some floppy hats, a beany hat with horns, a Frank Sinatra style hat, a couple of handmade hats from craft fairs… I LOVE HATS!!!

Dyslexia and Me: A Month of Blogging

So I’ve been blogging on Dyslexia and Me for over a month now! It really doesn’t feel that long at all! It has been very exciting so far. I’ve had a lot of positive feedback and it has encouraged me to look into a career in learning support (though I am still searching for answers on where and what to do next, but my dissertation is my main priority the next month or so).