For Parents: Do You Hear These Complaints?
Mum, I don't feel good, reading gives me a headache!
I don’t want to do homework, math is too hard for me.
Can you turn off that light? It hurts my eyes!
I hate reading!
Everything looks fuzzy
Letters are moving on the page
Where am I on the page?
For Adults: Do You Experience This?
Working at your screen becomes distorted, painful or exhausting, so you need frequent breaks
You can't concentrate and get distracted easily
You feel like your head is going to explode when you're outside in bright light
You need sunglasses even on cloudy days
Fluorescent lights give you instant headaches or induce migraines
Driving at night is stressful because of the glare from headlights
The pediatrician said it’s fine. The ophthalmologist said 20/20. The school screening was perfect. And yet, something still feels off.
If Any of This Sounds Familiar, Keep Reading…
You might have just discovered why life—or your child's school experience—has been so unnecessarily difficult.
The answer might be “Irlen Syndrome”
What is Irlen Syndrome?
Irlen Syndrome (a subset of Visual stress) is a cluster of symptoms causing the brain to struggle to process what you see (visual information) efficiently, especially light!
Let’s imagine…
Your eyes are a perfect pair of antennas; they pick up the signal (light from a book or a screen) clearly.
Your brain is the television that’s supposed to display that signal as a clear picture (words, shapes, and depth).
But then there is interference scrambling the signal before it reaches the TV (brain), so the picture becomes distorted, fuzzy, or exhausting to watch.
Your brain then works overtime trying to filter out the “static” and make sense of what you’re seeing. This extra effort is what causes headaches, exhaustion, and visual distortions like dancing words or blurred text.
The Common Signs :
Academic and work performance
Read slowly with poor comprehension
Get tired or develop headaches while reading
Letters or words appear to move, shake, blur, or swirl on the page
Words run together or form rivers of white space
Text appears to shimmer or pulsate
Skip words or lines when reading
Need to use a finger or ruler to keep their place
Prefer to read in dim light or wear sunglasses indoors
Struggle with reading music scores or mathematic
See halos around letters or shadows on the page
Reduced productivity when working under fluorescent lights
Messy, inconsistent handwriting.
Takes much longer than peers to write things down
Physical Discomfort
Frequent headaches or migraines, especially under fluorescent or bright light
Light sensitivity (photophobia) — bright lights feel painful
Difficulty with depth perception (trouble with stairs, curbs, parking)
Nausea or dizziness in certain visual environments
Taking frequent breaks due to eye strain or headaches
Daily Life Impact:
Work very hard but still produce results below expectations, which can lead to low self-esteem
Appear clumsy, bumps into objects and knocks things over
Struggles with patterned surfaces (striped clothing, tiled floors)
Struggles with depth perception (parking, stairs, playing sports)
Difficulty driving at night or in bright sunlight
Need extra caution while driving, parking, or riding a bike
Discomfort in fluorescent-lit offices or shopping centre
Prefer to sit in dark places to read, study or work
A child comes home from school with a headache every day
Still experiencing problems with spectacle prescriptions even if they are adjusted
Important note : While these could be signs of Irlen Syndrome, they might also signal other vision problems like uncorrected refractive errors or binocular vision problems, which we commonly see in our clinic. Sometimes it’s a combination, and both should be corrected.
That’s quite something new. I Haven't Heard About This Before …
Despite over 30 years of research and worldwide use, Irlen Syndrome remains under-recognized in many countries, including Thailand.
Since Irlen Syndrome is a brain processing issue, not an eye problem, it cannot be detected through standard eye tests, psychological or educational assessments. Many Children don't report it because they assume everyone sees what they see. Symptoms vary widely : Each person experiences different combinations of symptoms and some of these symptoms can be attributed to laziness, lack of effort, ADHD, or other learning disabilities leading to misdiagnosis.
This is why people can spend years going from doctor to doctor without getting answers!
What Causes Irlen Syndrome?
Is It Genetic?
From many research they found that
80% chance a parent will pass it to their children
If one child has it, there's a 50-70% chance siblings will have it too
However, Irlen Syndrome can also be acquired through illness, medical procedures, or traumatic brain injury (or concussion).
Like autism, Irlen Syndrome exists on a spectrum, ranging from mild to severe. No two cases look exactly alike.
Okay, I Think This Might Be My Child (or Me) but …
How do I know for sure if this is the problem?
The only way to know for certain is through a specialized Irlen screening and testing by a certified specialist. You’ve come to the right place! At Nakoon, we offer a comprehensive Irlen Syndrome and Visual Stress Assessment.
Our assessment includes:
A thorough 1.5-hour comprehensive eye exam and pattern glare testing
Determines if Irlen Syndrome is present
Identifies if coloured overlay can help (BEFORE you invest in filters)
Testing reading speed and accuracy
Identifies a personalized colour through Intuitive Colorimetry
Life-Changing Solutions Are Available
We are delighted to let you know that Irlen Syndrome can be effectively managed with the right interventions. Once identified, many people experience immediate and dramatic improvements by using:
Coloured Overlays: Transparent colored sheets placed over reading material that filter out problematic wavelengths of light.
Precision-tinted lenses : Precision-tinted glasses worn throughout the day that provide consistent relief from visual distortions.
If you’ve read up to this part and you've recognized your child—or yourself—in this article, don't wait. Every day spent struggling unnecessarily is another day of diminished confidence and locked potential.
You will be amazed by how much a pair of precision tinted lenses can transform your life. We do not ask you to believe us, but come try for yourself!
Only then, will you understand why we did not hesitate to be the first provider of intuitive colorimetry in Thailand even when nobody has heard about it.
Ready to meet new possibilities ?
Don't let Irlen Syndrome dim your family's future. The solution might be as simple as seeing the world through the right color.
