Visual Stress and Colorimetry

Visual stress is a term used to describe visual discomfort and perceptual distortions in printed text, and is suffered by some people who struggle to read. Symptoms may include:

• Movement of printed text
• Blurring of print
• Letters changing in size or shape
• Patterns in the print (sometimes described as rivers or worms)
• Halos of colour surrounding letters or words
• Tiring easily whilst reading
• Headaches or visual discomfort

Symptoms can occur despite having normal vision. Some individuals who find reading tiring and unpleasant may unknowingly experience visual stress.

It is essential that a full eye examination is carried out first if an individual is struggling to read. This is to rule out any refractive errors that could be the cause. The initial eye examination is free of charge to school aged children under NHS provision. It is important to treat or rule out any other visual defects before testing for visual stress.

Research has shown that in some cases, symptoms of visual stress can be reduced by the use of coloured filters. These are known as coloured overlays and can be placed over text to help when reading. If coloured overlays are beneficial then we can prescribe coloured lenses to be worn in spectacles. The colour required often differs from that of the overlay. Our Intuitive Colorimeter™ will determine the exact tint required. It offers many thousands of colour combinations, and offers true precision to the patient.

The Coloured Overlay assessment is a private examination and is not covered on the NHS. If you feel Colorimetry could benefit you please get in touch.