Coloured lenses can Boost reading says scientist

Speaking at the Institute of Optometry in London, Professor Wilkins of the Department of Psychology explained how his research over several years has shown that children with visual stressvision deficits can benefit from either coloured lenses or coloured plastic sheets placed over the written word.

However the Government does not provide state funding to assist children with this difficulty, so currently precision tinted lenses are only available to those who can afford to pay.

He said: 'Visual stress is a photosensitive problem which affects more than five per cent of the population. It causes print distortion and is responsible for severe reading problems.'

'Some children could benefit enormously from coloured overlays if only their teachers were aware of the appropriate techniques for assessment. Children need to be able to find the colour that is right for them, and this means they need the opportunity of selecting the colour from a large range of alternatives. For those that continue to benefit from overlays, coloured lenses can provide an alternative that is useful for written work.'

He has invented the Intuitive Colorimeter, which is used to discover which would be the most appropriate coloured lens for each person. These lens help eliminate distortions and improve reading rate and accuracy as well as alleviating stress over reading.

Professor Wilkins is backed by Professor Bruce Evans, an expert in the field of vision and reading problems, who said:

'There is a need for a co-ordinated approach to assessing vision problems in poor readers. Although there is overwhelming evidence that precision tinted lenses help many people with reading problems, there are also other visual defects that can affect reading but which can go unrecognised in the basic NHS tests. So, people need to be tested by an optometrist or orthoptist who has specialised in vision and learning.'

He added: 'Coloured lenses are not a cure for dyslexia, but will help many children, even those who still need specialist teaching.'

Source: By University Of Essex