Visual processing characteristics of children with Meares–Irlen syndrome

  1. Richard Kruk1,
  2. Karen Sumbler2,
  3. Dale Willows2

Article first published online: 14 JAN 2008

DOI: 10.1111/j.1475-1313.2007.00532.x

Issue

Ophthalmic and Physiological Optics

Ophthalmic and Physiological Optics

Volume 28, Issue 1, pages 35–46, January 2008

Additional Information

How to Cite

Kruk, R., Sumbler, K. and Willows, D. (2008), Visual processing characteristics of children with Meares–Irlen syndrome. Ophthalmic and Physiological Optics, 28: 35–46. doi: 10.1111/j.1475-1313.2007.00532.x

Author Information

  1. 1

    Department of Psychology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada R3T 2N2

  2. 2

    Department of Human Development and Applied Psychology, Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada

*Correspondence and reprint requests to: Richard Kruk. Tel.: +1 (204) 474 7349; Fax: +1 (204) 474 7599. E-mail address: krukr@cc.umanitoba.ca

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 14 JAN 2008
  2. Article first published online: 14 JAN 2008
  3. Received: 10 November 2006 Revised form: 31 August 2007 Accepted: 9 November 2007

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Keywords:

  • attention;
  • dyslexia;
  • Meares–Irlen syndrome;
  • visual processing;
  • visual stress

Abstract

The potential role of visual processing deficits in reading difficulty was brought to public attention by claims that a large proportion of children with dyslexia suffer from a perceptual dysfunction currently referred to as Meares–Irlen syndrome (MISViS). A previous study showing that visual perceptual measures involving visual memory and discrimination predict independent variance in reading achievement [J. Learn. Disabil. 28 (1995) 216] provides a basis to examine their relationships with the diagnostic criteria of MISViS. This study examined these visual processing characteristics in 36 eight- to ten-year-old children, half of whom were experiencing reading difficulty. Children were assessed for MISViS by Irlen screeners; approximately half of the participants in each group were positively identified. Concurrent performance on standardized visual processing tests showed that while a positive diagnosis of MISViS is not indicative of reading ability, nor in particular of a visual-processing deficit subtype identified by Watson and Willows [J. Learn. Disabil. 28 (1995) 216], MISViS can indicate visual processing difficulties potentially related to visual attention inefficiency.

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