The correction of any underlying visual problems can often dramatically reduce symptoms in many individuals who are struggling with reading and writing. However, those who are still having difficulties, or those in whom the pre-overlay Assessment did not identify any anomalies, are recommended to have a Coloured Overlay Assessment.

Children who are symptomatic could be suffering from visual stress.

In some of these children, it has been found that coloured filters or coloured lenses can help the processing of information in the brain. Filters or lenses of a specific colour can eliminate completely or significantly improve symptoms, however, the existence of visual stress and its treatment with coloured filters remains controversial due to a mixed body of evidence. 

Colour Therapy and Dyslexia

If a child is diagnosed with Dyslexia, it does not mean that there will always be visual symptoms associated. If children have visual problems, treatment of these problems can help the child to read more comfortably and one of these may be coloured overlays or coloured glasses . This may help them to benefit from teaching and contribute to an improvement in reading performance. 

It is important to note that we use colour overlays and colourimetry as a last resort, this is because fewer than one in five people with dyslexia may have visual stress and find coloured glasses helpful. However, for those who respond well, coloured glasses may alleviate the symptoms of visual stress.

Coloured Overlay Assessment

A Coloured Overlay Assessment identifies those children and adults who are helped by the use of coloured filters. It involves measuring the speed at which a child reads without any filters and comparing that ‘rate of reading’ with the rate when different coloured filters are put in place.

The City University Intuitive overlays screener, a computer programme that has been accredited by the Institute of Optometry, London is used to assess the impact of different colours.

Some children show a distinct improvement, while for others there is no difference. The colour of any filters that do help will vary from individual to individual.

If the screening shows a statistically significant improvement in reading with a coloured filter an Overlay is issued to use at school and at home for one term. The progress is monitored regularly and if a continual benefit is found, we would then recommend a Colourimetry Assessment.